Day 28

Day 28 - mile 873.5 to mile 878.8
Thursday 28 June (0500-0740)
Distance: PCT miles: 5.3; non-PCT miles: 1.5
Number of fun ferry rides enjoyed: 1

When we've backpacked in Britain, the things that we've missed after a
few weeks are water on tap and hot water via the convenience of a
kettle.

This trip what I've missed most is any semblance of cleanliness.
Showering opportunities seem to come along every 100 miles or so and
inbetween times the dirt is phenomenal. Even when I manage to get the
worst of the caking off my hands (either by way of wet wipes or at
streams) within minutes they're filthy again - and neither method of
cleaning is effective under the nails.

As I type this, I have clean nails and barely any evidence of caked on
grime. It took the washing of the socks and four washes of my hair to
get the nails clean. Clean hair! I keep forgetting how minging I look
and smell, but it does feel nice to have clean hair!

As for today's walk: not wanting to chance slow terrain and cutting it
fine for the ferry, we set out at first light. Hello Kitty, who had
camped by us last night set out ten minutes before us. We soon caught
up with him and chatting away we stormed on good terrain to the ferry
landing. Arriving with two hours to spare it was clear that we could
have stayed in bed a bit longer, but we took the opportunity, whilst
we were waiting, to have our first on-trail cup of tea of the trip.

Thanks to some information gleaned from Back Rasher, our plans have
changed again. We're not going to have two neroes at VVR as planned.
We're now going to leave tomorrow morning and take the Duck Trail to
Mammoth Lakes in 18 miles time. We'll arrive there on Saturday morning
and will spend at least one night. Whether we then walk the final 30
miles to Tuolumne, or whether we call it a day and take a bit of a
holiday remains to be seen.