Shower and laundry at Shelter Cove. Also charged phone. Tim made it to Shelter Cove about 1 1/2 hours after I did. He is spending the night there. I got back on trail and up it maybe 1/3 of a mile to a campsite that overlooks the lake.Note to readers: When I am hiking I can think of many things to write about, but at the end of the day when I am tired it's a different story. Today (7/17) was no exception.
Wed 7/17 Day 12 mile 1907 near Shelter Cove -> 1933 = 26 miles
Pushing the Envelope
My next resupply stops are Big Lake Youth Camp, Timberline Lodge, and Cascades Locks. Most of my resupply stops are at resorts, camps, etc., and it doesn't matter when I get there. But the post office at Cascade Locks is a different story--the post office is only open Monday thru Friday 9:00-5:00 and closed on Saturday and Sunday. I've been doing the math and calculating my arrival. I need to do a minimum of 28 miles per day to ensure Friday arrival.How's the Body Holding Up
- Back--mostly great (Thanks, Dr Bedford). It does get tired carrying a pack most of the day with very few breaks.
- Knees--okay during the day. They ache at night, but by morning are ready to go.
- Feet--two blisters showed up today. Left foot on outside of heel below the ankle, Right big toe in a spot I cannot see.
(Note: as of 7/22 six of the last seven days have been 25-26 mile days.
One Mis-step away from Disaster
At an estimated average of 2500 steps per mile, a lot of steps are taken on a 20-25 mile day. Turns out I am camped near a young woman. Her name escapes me. Yesterday she twisted her ankle on a tree root and fell. Today was a zero-day (no hiking) for her. She has been going NOBO, but will head south tomorrow.
Why do we stumble or fall?
- Inattention to where we are stepping
- Failure to raise foot high enough to clear obstacle (curb, rock, root, etc)
- We are tired
- Distracted.
On the trail there are four types of obstacles--Rockers and Rollers, Trippers and Slippers.- Rocker--shifts front to back or side to side when you step on it. You can lose your balance, stumble, or even fall
- Roller--rolls when you step on it--rock, part of tree branch
- Tripper--just a little or several inches higher than the ground--rock, root, curb, etc. You stumble and even fall.
- Slippers--or slip or what? Whatever is underneath, your foot slips--
- wet rock, wet wood without bark, ice, snow, some slippers are a frictionless surface--You cannot stand on it: such as algae on a rock in a stream crossing, Ice on wood, sheen of water on ice.
Thurs July 18 Hiked from Brahana Lake (PCT mile 1933) to Sisters Mirror Lake (PCT mile 1959) = 26 miles
It rained a little during the night. When I stepped out of the tent, there was a slight drizzle. So I put on my rain coat and pants. Ten minutes up the trail it stopped, so I took off the rain set and put on wind breaker. Later rain gear went back on. Later yet, we had sun and rain gear came off again. 
Mosquitoes were not bad to horrible. At camp I had to do some business with my shorts down. Those pesky mosquitoes must have bitten both cheeks in ten spots.
The Sierras
I have found two hikers that made it through the Sierras. A lot of people remembered 2017 when two women drowned. Several said, "It's not worth risking your life for. I skipped the Sierras and will go back after."
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