Bypassing the thunderstorm!

Day: 149

Date: 09.10.2022

CDT Mile: Mile 2'345.6

Miles hiked: 16 miles / 25.6 km

Elevations: 2'982 ascent (909.5 m Aufstieg) / 1'959 feet descent (597.5 m)

Camping at: 6'906 feet, Cuba Motel / 2'106 m

We got up early and hiked out at 7am. It was a cloudy but warmish morning. The first few miles we hiked along a flat section in the desert to a canyon. About 30 minutes after we hiked out we admired a stunning sunrise, where the sun hit the canyon walls through the clouds in a very warm and gold-ish light, it was breathtaking. This spectacle only lasted for a couple of minutes though and we just had the right timing. After that we started our climb up the canyon and soon later hiked in Ponderosa forest again, leaving the desert behind. These changes of landscapes happen within no time and are so crazy! My back of the right knee is hurting quite badly since two days. I think I got a strain of the knee when I slipped along the muddy trails. It isn't as painful when hiking uphills, but hiking downhill or flat sections is rather painful. We reached highway 96 shortly before lunch time, but the long downhill didn't do well on my knee. We would have another huge uphill in front of us, and then tomorrow a big and long downhill into Cuba. With my current knee issues I am not so happy, and even though I take ibu 800 3 or 4 times a day, it doesn't seem to help much. So we decided to hitch from this interstate into Cuba and bypass the long up- and downhill. We are out in the nowehre it seems but the first car passing by within 5 minutes is willing to give us a ride to the next 'town', called Gallina. We hop in the bed of the truck. Getting out in Galling, there is nothing. Soccermum and I look at each other and both think the same: 'Where the heck on earth did we strand?'. I was prepared to wait here for a long time, but again we are super lucky and one car drives by within less than 10 minutes, going to Cuba. Hell yes, we get in the bed of the pick-up l again and reach Cuba about 20 minutes later. Within these two hitches the weather changed dramatically. It was cloudy in the morning, but the clouds disappeared soon later and the sun came out. But while driving to Cuba, big dark clouds gathered above us, and we were even scared if it rains on us while sitting in the bed of the truck. Also the temperature dropped massively. But we reached Cuba dry.

Post note: The next day we met other Sobo hikers telling us that it rained, hailed and even snowed on them all afternoon. It was freezing, up in high elevation again and the trail turned into a stream because of all the rain. So it was indeed a good decision to bypass that section!

The lady dropped us off at a petrol station in Cuba and recommended the best mexican food in town, at the shop of the petrol station. What? There is no sign indicating a mexican restaurant. It seems like the shop of the petrol station. But we trust her, she must know and really there is a mexican street restaurant in the shop, offering freshly made meals for no money. This is awesome! Outside again, it rained on us. We found shelter at Mcdonald's for a second lunch(!), where we run into 'Doc' and 'Recharge', two Sobo hikers Soccermum knows. While being there it rained and even hailed heavily outside. Soccermum hiked the PCT last year and some guys he hiked with decided to hike the CDT this year too, but Sobo. So Soccermum hiked one stretch Sobo with them in Idaho/Wyoming, before flipping north again. And now they met again. We sit outside and talk all afternoon and evening long, till it was too cold. Also 'Van Gogh', a hiker from the netherlands, joined us. It is nice being back on trail and having tome to rest my knee and chat to other hikers. This is probably my most favorite part of a thru hike 😁

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