Day 31

Outpost Camp to Mammoth

I woke up and the sun was already up. I had slept all the way from the moment I got into my tent to when I woke up. I rolled over to see what time it was. 7:20AM. Wow. A 12 hour sleep with no bathroom needed. My body needed that sleep. I blinked my eyes hard and noticed my headache was gone.

Okay, I’m feeling good.

I had to vaguely use the restroom, but I didn’t want to test it out because I was afraid to use the wag bag over again. The idea of unsealing the odour proof bag made me gag a bit. My body seemed to agree. We could wait.

I got out and noticed a lot of the tents were still there. These must be a lot of people who summited yesterday too.

My friends that were going to check on me were still sleeping.

I stood and noticed the beauty of the campsite. We were in a semi desert area and there was a stunning waterfall cascading off the side of a rock face. I stood there and thanked the Lord for the day, that I woke up with no issues and that I was on my final leg of the journey.

Since I unpacked so efficiently, my things were quickly packed up. I opened up my bear can and finished the other half of the dinner I forced myself to eat the night before. I’d be eating better food once I got to the trail head, but I needed to get some calories in since I didn’t eat enough the night before.

I really was in poor shape when I came into the camp. I kept sending thank you prayers. The prayers of my friends and family must have help out.

I inReached Ryan I woke up and was headed out, then repacked the bear can and started to hike out.

I told myself that I wasn’t emotionally processing the trip because I was so focused on getting to the trail head to use the bathroom. Something inside of me is we probably disconnected from acknowledging the ending.

I passed the signs and noticed the terrain changing.

Slow down Larissa and remember this hike out.

I asked God to help me stay still and notice the gifts He had for me. Then, around the corner there was a couple coming towards me.

Their names was Bridgette and Paul. They were from Santa Fe and coming to take a look at Mt. Whitney and the area. Bridgette was celebrating a birthday and was running the Tahoe Marathon and they decided to check out some of California before they headed to Tahoe. They asked me what I was doing on Whitney.

“I’m finishing the John Muir Trail.”

“You did the whole thing?”

I thought about the question and smiled. “Yes. I did.”

“Where did you start?”

I began sharing.

“I started in Yosemite at Glacier Point and hiked 30 days to get here.”

“Did you do it alone?”

“I hiked alone but I had a lot of friends and family supporting me back home.”

They started to ask me questions about the trek. They both wanted to do the JMT and had been intimidated at the planning and the length. Hearing I did it on my own inspired them.

As I was answering their questions, the reality felt so much more real.

Wow. I did this.

No need for any asterisks. No clarification needed. I did the John Muir Trail.

The trail is part of me and I am of it.

We bid each other goodbye. I wished her luck and they wished me luck.

It felt real.

Then, I hit a switchback and heard noise. There was a large group of Japanese tourists making a tunnel with their trekking poles and arms — cheering hikers through it. They were gesturing for me to come through. “Yayyyyyyyy, you did it!” They said as I walked through.

Wow. That was unexpected and funny it appeared.

God makes me smile. I asked Him to help me notice His gifts and He sent me strangers to process my trip and cheer me on. Wow.

I saw the back of the John Muir Wilderness sign and stopped to take a photo. I was less than 2 miles from the trail head.

I crossed the bridges and walked the trail and quickly came out. It was quiet, but that was okay because I was headed straight to the toilet and to get breakfast and French fries.

Turns out my plan was almost complete… except because I came before 11 there were no French fries. Foiled.

Since I got my French Fry gaiters, I was craving the greasy treat and had been foiled at every stop. No French fries until 11… instead I got a pancake, which I heard was the size of my head.

The pancake was was the size of a horses head. It was so massive I needed help to carry it out.

I ate about a third and realised I still wanted fries.

Stay and wait for 11 or get a hitch hike to Lone Pine and get fries and figure out what to with my day.

The answer was clear.

I saw a couple walking out and asked them if they were going to Lone Pine.

“Yeah sure! Come along!”

Yay!

I got into their car and 20 minutes later, was sitting in a cafe ordering vegetarian chilli fries.

Finally.

I sat at the cafe for a while and reflected and thought about the trip, how I wanted to do my reentry. Spent a while journaling and the waitress asked if I was killing time.

“I am.”

“Well, I recommend you go to the Lone Pine Cinema museum! This is a town that almost every western and Sci fi desert scene was shot. You’ll enjoy the history tour.”

I decided that was a good idea. The bus didn’t come until 5PM and it was barely 12.

I paid for my fries and sprite and headed over the museum. While there a dear friend of mine called me to congratulate me. We chatted and he spoke the kindest words to me. I was starting to feel so filled with the love from my networks. I sent my mom a quick text and kept learning about the Alabama Hills (area that Lone Pine is known for).

After I finished the museum, I located the bus stop and noticed the laundromat. I had about an hour and fifteen before the bus. I had enough time.

I comically found a way to wash all of my clothing (including most of the pieces I was wearing) and got everything done six minutes before the bus came.

Then, I got to the bus and rode the bus to Bishop, then switched to go to Mammoth. There, I had a hotel waiting for me with hot showers and soft beds.

Tomorrow, I would return to Yosemite and stay at the backpackers camp until the shuttle to the airport the following morning.