Stats

Start: Kearny – Mile 258
End: Dirt Road Junction – Mile 276
Elevation Max: 2,463
Elevation Min: 1,717
Elevation Change: 3,047 up & 2,266 down
Average Heart Rate: 148
Walking Time: 6 hrs 3 minutes

The Walk

I had a relaxing morning in Kearny. I slept until 7:30, which is the latest I’ve slept all trip. Breakfast was an assortment of snacks laying around the room. Weight I didn’t want to carry in my backpack.

Chris was already in trail. She scheduled a ride at 7:30. I was thankful to have more time.c because I hadn’t even packed up yet. Plus I didn’t want to get up that early. Salsa called the pizza shop owner for a ride. The pizza shop had a note that he was a trail angel and was happy to shuttle anyone to the trailhead. He was available at 11. Easy.

We had a few hours to kill so went to the grocery store and grabbed lunch. I got chicken strips and fries. I think they were the same ones I saw two days ago when I arrived. Oh well.

I got an email that the PCT is 3 weeks away! I can print my permit and officially lock in my date anytime. Pretty damn exciting. It gave me a morning boost and I felt ready to get in trail.

We started walking at 11:15. I was full from a day and half in town. I planned to get to Roosevelt in a few days and then catch a shuttle to Phoenix airport. Roosevelt was 80 miles away. So we planned days of 15, 25, 25, and 15 miles.

The first 12 miles miles of trail was flat and smooth. We passed a few section hikers and saw a dog that got too close to a cactus😞

Time for a break. We grabbed a snack and water then picked out a stopping point for the night. 8 more miles, 18 for the day, was a flat spot. A hiker on FarOut said you could land a UFO here.

We walked a few more miles to the Gila river and filtered water. We had 6 miles to the next water source and we were camping before that. I took 3 liters. A liter for todays hike, a liter for camp, and a liter for the morning hike

We chatted with a section hiker who was making dinner by the river. Then started the last climb of the day. The trail climbed 800 feet over the last 3 miles. It was a low grade and I enjoyed the climb. We were closing in on the mountains we spent all day looking at. I stopped a few times to take it all in.

Camp was at the top of a steep 100 foot climb. I yelled hello! As I was creating the hill. Chris answered! It was nice to run into her again and we all had dinner while setting up camp.
I cowboy camped for the first time. It was a calm night with no rain in the forecast. And the spot was too good to pass up. I hope it doesn’t get windy time rain!

Trying out cowboy camping was on my to do list. I wanted to stare up at the stars while falling asleep. Tents block the view. Plus bugs weren’t an issue.

Laying under the stars for the first time feels right. The only thing between me and the ground is a sheet of tyvek, an air mattress, and my sleeping bag. It’s a cool night and a tall mountain is in front of me.

Time to stare at the stars and mountain sillouette as I fall asleep. My feet are sore, but that’s a normal feeling by now.