JMT Day 13: Piute Creek to Goddard Creek

July 16, 2008

Wow, nine more days and we still have 100 miles to go. We took it easy today--hiking only 5 miles. Mugs has a friend who is a cook for the CCC (California Conservation Corps) crew stationed at Goddard Creek. We stopped to visit with her for a bit and she invited us to stay for supper. It's taco night, I'm not going to pass up tacos and it beats having rice and tuna. Mugs and I have been slacking a bit with hiking these past couple of day so we are in for some long and bigger mileage days ahead of us. Staying tonight at Goddard Creek a good idea since it will put us at the passes in the mornings or evening. You don't want to go over the passes during the afternoon because there is a greater chance of storms at that time.



I also had some time to soak my feet in the river. It felt so good! The cold water rushing over them. All I can say is it felt wonderful to get all the tape and mole skin off and to let them air out. I have noticed that my feet are getting better. I'm still going to lose two more toe nails, but my heels are not blistered anymore. They are still are tender but new skin is growing and getting tougher. They haven't bleed yet. I don't want that to happen. I can deal with the blisters and nails falling off, but that's it. I'm determined to finish this trip. Too many people have told me I won't make and I've doubted myself at times, but I'm going to summit on the 25th.



Being that we ended early today (2pm) I got a chance to finish the book I brought along. I have been looking for the book "Prayers for Bobby" for a couple of years and could never find it. I was told by a friend of mine that I should read it. Well I found the book at Barnes and Nobles in San Fran so I bought it. The time must have been right for me to buy it, because there was only one copy. Anyway I finished the last two chapters tonight. I just couldn't put it down. The book brought tears to my eyes and at one point I thought I woke Mugs up with my sniffling but she never heard me. I mean it's not even woman's week and I got emotional over a book. Weird things happen out here on the trail.



Time for bed. We need to get camp packed up by 6 and bkft at the CCC camp with Kim at 6:30 then back to the trail.

Picture:
1. View of the trail. I was waiting for the Ewoks and speeder bikes to come out. I can't believe I only took one picture today. I thought I took more. Must have been to busy hiking.

mileage: 5.5/117.5
elevation: 8050 to 8480 +430 ft/ -0