Well…it’s Thursday, August 27, and I’ve completed the first 75 miles of my PCT section hike from Bucks Lake near Quincy to Sierra City. I walked into town around 10:30am and my first stop was the Sierra County Store where I mailed a resupply box for the next 110 miles to Lake Tahoe. I picked up my box and a few snacks.

I decided to spend the night in town to shower, wash my clothes, rest, recharge my devices, and write this blog post (you’re welcome). I’m staying in a cabin at Buttes Resort in Sierra City. It’s not fancy, but it’s got everything I need. My goal for Friday is 24 miles which includes 6,000 feet of climbing!

The first four days on trail have gone relatively smooth. I fell down mid morning the first day and skinned up my right leg in a couple of places. In the evening I found a stream to clean and soak the wounds and by the next morning the swelling had gone down and there was very little pain. The good news is that usually I only fall down once on a hike so I’ll count it a win that it happened day one with minimal damage. There was a 20+ mile section with overgrown thorn bushes so I’ve added a few additional scratches. I packed long pants but they are brand new and I was afraid the thorns would tear them up so I hiked in shorts…my dermatologist would not be happy with me.

My gear is performing well and so is my body. About a week after my Tahoe Rim Trail hike, I developed foot pain in my right foot. It was bad enough that I got it x-rayed to rule out a break or fracture. The x-rays were normal and wearing sandals seemed to be helping it heal. So I decided to reduce the amount of arch support I use in my hiking shoes. For 15 plus years I’ve been using green Superfeet orthotics in my hiking shoes. But it seems my gait has changed and now, maybe, I might need less support. I switched to a more basic insert and so far, so good.

Check out the links below to see where I am on trail and the photos I have uploaded.

Thanks for following along!

Loren, AKA Butterfingers