Chester to Burney Falls

We went into another national park call Lassen. The main characteristic is that is volcanic. I saw a geyser and one of those sulphuric lakes. I met again with Cheeseburger and Cracker Jack. I thought he were ahead! We walk one more mile where we found a rest area with tables. Lunch time. I went into the river to have a quick shower-bath and after cook lunch, gourmet lunch. If feel really weird to be cooking and eating seated in a table, it is a luxury that we really enjoy. The 3 of us are European we were thinking how lucky we were, in summer time in the middle of California, I love California, having a good lunch in the wild ....I start to miss California when I have still like 300 miles to go...........

In the afternoon I put 15 turbo miles, the easiest of the trail. I pass a large burnt area, it was a little apocalyptic.  People have said when you get close to Old station the terrain get smother and the mileage pick up, it is true!

Next morning I met everybody for breakfast in Old Station. It is just a camping resort with a very small post office. I don’t understand the tradition in USA and the post office. They put a post office everywhere........

We got into a classic stage of the PCT “the hat creek rim “. It is a hot 30 miles stretch with no water, very expose, volcanic, and hot, very hot.  The tactic is start in the afternoon and hike deep into the dark. I was quite lucky; it was a storm on top of me so I just start after lunch with the cloud cover. I top up with water but I trust the water cache in the middle point (cache 22 I think is called ). I spoke with people. They had enough water for me.

I spoke with the fireman; they said that they follow the storm, looking for the lighting that produces any fire. It is a quick respond.

I arrived to the highest point of the rim with the sun set, where is located this radio station. Camp site for tonight.  Red skies, and I can see Mt Shasta at the far end.

In the morning the sun woke me up at 6.00. This is the day that better wake up early; I still have 15 hot miles to go. The feeling is the same than in the desert: hot, dry, not shade, doing full hidratation, worrying about the water, checking for snakes. The trail is actually quite difficult because of all those volcanic rocks.

By 12.00 I was probably in the worst place down in the volcanic plateau. I was dying in the heat. I found a small water cache full of bees. I stop for a quick lunch but I fall asleep seated with the backpack still on. It happens to me when it is very hot I just fall asleep with the backpack........

I escaped into the valleys, tree cover appears, green leafs and a little bit after a river show up. Done Hat creek rim !!! I charged my phone in this fish farm and after I stop with the trail Magic place. I was alone but I think is called Mr Wild show up (the trail angel ) do you want a beer? Well It is not the best for dehydration but I think I needed, I had a hard day in the office...... He explain me how all this place started a few years ago and how it is growing, it has grill, food, drink and a shower!!

He also explained me to determinate if a track was from a big dog or a Mountain Lion as he explained there is in this area. Watching!!  One more hour of hike and camped in a nice flat area, it is weird to find this flat areas along the PCT , we always camp in a corner by the cliff or something like that.....Dinner in the dark watching the starts. Calm.