There is only one thing on my mind right now.   Cheeseburgers.   In order to acquire that Cheeseburger, I need to walk 12 miles, climb a 1k ridge, drop another 3.7k feet, and get on the last ferry by 4:45,  VVR is a popular spot for resupply.  I should also have a package waiting for me there.    

 

Kept running into creek crossings that require fording.   That burned 15 minutes to change shoes, go over, then put dry back on.   Last ones offered a dice roll on some sketchy rock/log hopping which turned out ok for me.   I think Soho fell in the drink on one of these. 

Then it was a 1k climb to something called Bear Ridge.   The views sucked and I was met by a constant stream of weary JMT hikers telling me there was no way I could make the ferry in time.   12 miles, give me a break.   I took a couple of 1 hour breaks along the way to burn the clock.   It was an easy hike.   

Soho has been hearing rumors that there has been a Papa Bear sighting at VVR.    We haven’t seen that guy since Burney Guest Ranch in Northern Cal.   We are both pretty excited to find him. 

On the other side, it was 3k of swtichbacks down.   Easy hiking, but I’m a little bummed knowing payback will come after this stop. 

There was a one mile side trip to the ferry pickup point.   Trail was all muddy and mushy.   Got to the site around 4 and found the place full of hikers.   19 to be exact.    Soho and I spent some time chatting with a couple of PCT’ers named Edgy and Monk.   They are Southing the Sierra section they had skipped earlier in the season. 

Sure enough, at 4:30, the ferry dude showed up.   We all loaded and were wisked to the land of Cheeseburgers, beer, and steaks.  

VVR opens a tab for each of us.   Everything there is ala carte, so the bill accumulates rapidly.    That evening I didn’t get my cheeseburger.   I had to settle for a 12oz steak.   Poor me.

A few hours after we arrived, Soho found Papa Bear.   After dinner a bunch of JMT hikers, Soho, Papa Bear, and I gathered around a big camp fire to swap stories.   I bought a 12 pack and distributed to all takers to loosen folks up.    It was a really fun night.   We all spent hours talking about the characters we had met on the trail.  Rickie Bobbie, Rise and Shine, Large Pizza, Bay Watch, Twigsy, Bam Bam, Joe Dirt, and all the rest.  I miss these gatherings.   For me they have always been the highlight of hike.

Soho’s resupply box is not here yet.   The VVR folks are going to do a mail run in the morning, then hopefully we will board the evening ferry and get a few miles in.