Last night I had a visitor. A four legged one. I was awakened by loud rustling and stomping around my tent. My thoughts in quick succession were Bear? My food!? Headlamp? Headlamp on, it took awhile for my eyes to adjust. All I saw was a big dark shape with 4 legs. Turns out it was a deer. An unafraid, persistent deer. It wanted what was next to my tent! I would scare it off and it would just come back. I finally gave up and went back to sleep. "It's your forest deer, just don't knock over my tent please." The trail left Lassen Park and headed towards Old Station and Hat Creek Rim. At Old Station I stopped in at the RV resort to eat at the deli and buy some extra snacks. Next stop was Subway Cave. I didn't go to the cave but I filled up my water bottles at the spigots there. There were some nice people there who talked to me and gave me some carrots and a couple bannanas. What a treat! They were very interested in the PCT. Hat Creek Rim begins shortly after the cave. There is no water for 30 miles, and temperatures can get to 110. I'd been worried about it and figured I'd have to night hike most of it. However, it was cloudy and windy with a hint of rain. I decided to go for it. I left the cave area at 1 pm and hiked most of the rim. The temperature was high 70's. I couldn't have asked for better weather! How lucky am I. There was also a water cache oasis with chairs at mile 1398. This was a nice welcome surprise. So I got more water for tomorrow and camped a quarter mile further. Here is a picture of me with Kermit the Frog. He has been all over the states with this lady I met as an ambassador for preserving natural resources. (I hope I got that right). Also pictures from the rim.
In case nobody has told you lately; you rock. I am greener than Kermit with envy.
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