Today’s Miles: 21
Total trip miles: 930
Last night as I was heading into my tent, two bike packers arrived at the campground. They were the only other people around and were quite and respectful. It is a curious thing to see mountain bikes on this trail, after not seeing any on the PCT (they are prohibited on the PCT). I have seen probably 5 bikers in these past 36 hours. There are multiple signs saying “biking allowed on Tahoe Rim Trail on EVEN days only”. It’s an interesting solution and yet this morning, August 17th, I move aside to let two mountain bikers by me. Well, can’t win them all.
I catch a great view of Marlette Lake, a very big body of water, but of course paling in comparison to its neighbor Lake Tahoe. I do notice what looks like a plume of smoke arising from behind the lake. It’s different from what I call the fog smoke, as this seems to indicate something burning in the not too far distance. I do have service and check my phone and see that a different fire, the Caldor Fire, is in proximity to Tahoe and growing.
I check for updates on the fire periodically but I just keep walking and the day just kind of glides by, and before I know it, it’s the afternoon. I decide to take the “old TRT” alternative, which looks like it may cut 2 miles or so from the current route. I justify this with the reasoning that it’s so smokey you can’t see much, which is true. The alternate does prove to cut miles but apparently the old TRT didn’t believe in switchbacks, because I’m walking what feels like straight up at points. It’s steeper than anything I’ve encountered on the PCT.
By late afternoon I’m back in blue skies and treated to some really great views of tall granite mountains that sit in that very pretty Sierra Nevada way. I chat with another female hiker who is doing the whole Tahoe Rim Trail, which is a 150 mile loop. She’s a teacher and is getting in one last backpacking trip before the school year. I tell her I’m a teacher too, it feels weird to put in past tense, and that I’m just in sabbatical mode.
As I approach where I’ll camp for tonight, I reflect that it’s something like my two month anniversary of being on trail. I started June 17th and it’s August 17th. What an interesting past two months it has been. I never thought I’d be on the TRT right now. But right now, I feel strong and seasoned as hiker, and it’s great to just be able to jump on a trail with all your equipment and everything already dialed in. Of course, this wouldn’t be possible without friends helping without friends, and for that I’m grateful.
I get my second consecutive wonderful camp spot for the night, with a clear and gorgeous meandering river right by my side. I switch things up for dinner and for maybe the first time in on this trip, I don’t have one of my dehydrated Next Miles Meals at camp for dinner. Rather, I combine tuna, sausage, cheese, red pepper, and a mustard packet. It’s actually really good and I believe it’s the seasoning packets that are the essential pieces. Alright enough food talk for a night- until tomorrow.
