Day 78: Tuolomny Meadows - Miller Lake

Date: 24.06.2018 Miles hiked today: 17.3 miles Total Mileage: mile 959.8 Alarm is set for 6am this morning, one hour later than normally. But I still feel very tired, could have slept for another couple of hours. By 7 am Wheezer and me hike out of Tuolomy Meadows, while Joanne the lucky one is still in her tent. We hike on and after no time we reach the Soda Springs - sparkling water coming out of the ground. Kinda tastes like San Pellegrino water and we have some sips. No one up to date can explain this mistery, pretty cool! We hike on but make breaks about every mile or so. I'm soooo tired, my legs feel like jelly. Also, im sweating like hell. My sweat is running down my body and I can wring out my shirt - its soaked! I dont knkw what it is. We are not doing many miles till lunch, about 8 or 9 miles only. But I found a beautiful spot below some trees and water is close too, and the best part - no sight of moskitos! While we have lunch and relax hikers pass by and most of them join us. So by no time we are about 7 hikers sitting there. There is Zero. He started late in March already together with Wheezer but took 9 days off trail in San Jose at his cousins house to recover and rest from the Sierras. Not a bad idea at all. Eveyone seemed to have suffered mentally and physically. The Sierras definitely where a challenge for everybody, even though absolutely breath taking. So it's his first day back on trail - welcome! Then there is picnic basket, convicted, Flash!, Lego and some hiker I don't catch the name. I was basically napping all time while they were chatting. I hoped that Joanne and Giggles would catch up as Wheezer and me must have spend 3 hours there! Time to move on. We decided to hike up to Miller Lake, only about 8 miles from here and set camp threre. We are not the only ones with this idea though. After that big nap at lunch I do feel slightly better. The trail is nice, crossing many rivers and finally leading uphill to the lake. One of the uphill is only little longer than a mile, but heck it is steep! I thought we left the High Sierras behind us now with the steep passes but this is crazy! I don't know if it is because I'm so tired but it really wears me out. I'm so happy to see the lake! The lake is stunning with a sandy beach, surrounded by trees and mountains. We jump in, what a treat. Coming out however is not. Within seconds we are covered in a black cloud of moskitos! Yak, get out of here! Picking up our stuff we run to the camp spot, pitch our tents and light a fire to keep the mozzies away. That's really not fun, takes away all the joy of the evening! Wheezer, Zero and I cook dinner and head in our tents, the only safe and moskito free zone. I'm glad I made it up here and this day is over. I hope that I feel better tomorrow and that my energy comes back. Joanne and Giggles however didn't catch up yet.