Day 18, 223.7 to 240 Mission Camp

This is at sunrise, low light and didn’t work out well with the photo. My feet at bottom of the picture were touching the trail.

When I woke to the birds singing of a new sun god approaching or whatever they are singing about at 6:00 I noticed my nose really blocked. Either you pick it or blow it right? Needless to say yet another bloody nose…..GREAT! The previous bloody nose at Scissors Crossing I had a cool bridge to retreat to but now nothing. With the horizons shadow gaining ground on me I couldn’t just sit around. So with one hand plugging my nose I went about packing up my house. This is quite the chore, try doing some tasks like this. Fortunately it stopped in time for my last task of tying my shoes. If it hadn’t, my knee would have been the alternative to plug my nose against.

Now eating a Snickers bar while mouth breathing and hiking!

Today took me through the Lake Fire Closure. I’m not sure when this fire occurred but seems not to long ago as there is still charred material on the trail in places.

This tree is completely charred black.

On the way up the trail today I had another run in with those black wasps. This wasp wouldn’t let me pass, it hovered 4ft above the ground and made advances toward me then back about 10ft. It would actually turn and look at me. This was definitely the club bouncer bee and my name wasn’t on the list apparently.

I have a silver umbrella and opened it up as some kind of shield, as if it would work. As soon as I did 3 more of his crew showed up! I hung the umbrella on a bush and retreated 10 yards. He was still up the trail holding his position. I wasn’t about to test my luck so I looked at my map and the trail switched back just above me but this meant going off trail. You know what happened yesterday going off trail, rattler junior. I poked my way through the brush and up the hill to meet the trail again.

Then(above) this guy was stretched across the trail!! Barely got this picture before he was gone. Not sure is its poisonous or not. Red, black and white striped.

Mission Creek Camp is where everyone ended the day. It was a hot climb. Below is a water source in a small cave dripping into a bucket.