Days 82 to 86:
After an overnight bus ride to Reno, a city bus to the airport, a tourist bus from the airport to Lake Tahoe, and two hitches, I finally made it back to the trailhead where I left off before going to Canada. My last hitch was from a father and son, Stephan and Tim, on their way home after a camping trip. They originally drove past me, but then turned around to come pick me up. They just managed to squeeze me and my backpack into the backseat of their jeep with all their camping gear. I was already very thankful just for the ride up the mountain, but then Stephan even gave me a coke to send me off. This section was off to a great start!
我坐夜車到Reno市區，後來坐公車到機場，後來從機場搭觀光接駁巴士到太浩湖*，最後搭兩次便車，終於回到離開步道去加拿大的那個登山口。第二次便車載我的人是父子Stephan和Tim，出來在附近露營，現在在回家的路上。他們本來開過去沒停下來，幾分鐘後看到他們回來載我。他們的吉普車後面塞滿了露營裝備，勉強還擠得進去。有人載我我就很感激，不過Stephan還送我一瓶可樂。
This section of the PCT overlaps with the Tahoe Rim Trail for quite a while. The TRT takes one to two weeks and goes all the way around the huge alpine lake.
這段PCT跟一條圍繞太浩湖的步道有很長一段路是重疊的，繞太浩湖要走一兩個禮拜。
I made it to Aloha Lake the first evening, which was a perfect spot for a swim and to set up camp. The lake looked just as nice in the morning, and the trail passed by a few other nice little lakes on the way.
第一晚我睡阿囉哈湖邊，在這裡游泳很舒服，紮營的位子也很棒。隔天早上我經過好幾個跟阿囉哈湖一樣美的小湖泊。
The first mountain pass of this section is called Dicks Pass. The user comments on the PCT app I’m using were… interesting, to say the least.
這一段的第一個埡口叫做Dicks埡口，懂英文的人可能看得懂這些人留言的笑點：
This is a fun but less important milestone passed today. I’ll be more excited to pass 2222.22. I’m still not halfway done the PCT yet.
我今天經過一個很有趣的里程碑，不過我比較期待走到2222.22，目前還沒走完PCT的一半。
The mountains around here are a lot different than in the high Sierras. It is still very scenic in a different way, but unfortunately there is getting to be more and more smoke now.
這一帶的風景跟比較高的山區不一樣，我覺得一樣漂亮，可惜的是最近森林火災的煙越來越多。
The trail in this section goes right by three different ski resorts. I realized today that the trail actually crosses a road down at the bottom of one of these resorts, and the bar and grill is open year round. If I could walk 28 miles today (45 km) and finish before 7 p.m., I might actually have a chance to have a proper meal. Once again I found myself rushing full speed ahead motivated by the promise of food. At 6:59 p.m. I walked up to Donner Ski Ranch.
這附近有三座滑雪場，我今天才發現步道在第三座附近會經過一條馬路，剛好在滑雪場主要設備附近，而且餐廳全年都有營業，我只要在晚上7:00前走45公里我就有機會吃到餐廳的晚餐。不知道這是第幾次了，我又要為了吃東西而趕路。今天6:59到達滑雪場的餐廳，準備大吃。
This is a family-run business that has been operation for decades. It’s a small hill, but a friendly place that gets a ton of snow. If I’m ever in the area in the winter I wouldn’t mind trying it out. The highway that goes by the resort is Route 40, and the ski hill has a special deal for all PCT hikers that show a valid trail permit: the “40 on the 40”. This is a 40 oz beer (1183 mL) on Route 40, FREE for PCT hikers, no purchase necessary.
這裡是一個家庭經營的滑雪場，已經開幾十年了。雖然範圍比較小但員工人很好，冬天雪量多，我如果冬天剛好在這附近我很想來玩。他們有一個很特別的活動，只要你拿出當年的PCT許可證他們就會送你一大瓶啤酒，容量1183毫升，不用錢也不用點餐。滑雪場的聯絡道路是州道40號，啤酒的量剛好是40盎司，所以這個活動的英文叫做40 on the 40。
I guess this is a good marketing strategy, as I ended up spending more money on food at this place than anywhere else on the trail, ordering two full meals and eating with a couple other PCT hikers that walked in that evening. The beer was pretty good, too!
好像是很有效的推銷方式，我雖然沒有跟他們買飲料但我在這裡點了兩個主餐，花的錢比我在PCT上所有去過的其他餐廳多，有另外兩位今天走到這裡的登山客跟我一起坐所以我們待了比較久。啤酒也不錯喝！
The next day, the trail passed by another beacon of civilization as it crossed Interstate Highway 80. People driving by probably have no idea this cross-country trail passes right by them, as the PCT passes underneath the road in something that looks like a nasty drainage culvert.
隔天我又經過文明世界的區域：州際公路80號。開車經過的人應該不知道有個重要的登山步道剛好在這裡通過，步道本身是由公路下面的涵洞經過。
There just happens to be a rest stop where the PCT crosses, and there are washrooms and vending machines, so most hikers stop in here for a bit. I had my breakfast here and grabbed an ice cold popsicle from the vending machine. What a treat!
這裡剛好有一個休息區，有廁所和販賣機所以大部分的登山客會離開步道休息一下。我在這裡吃了早餐，從販賣機買一支冰棒，能吃到這麼好吃的東西我就很開心！
While I was sitting here eating, a group of Korean-American men came up and started talking with me. They knew about the trail and had even planned to hike a 500-mile section of it but hadn’t chosen a date yet. They were very interested in the logistics of being on trail for such a long time and I did my best to answer their questions. They even gave me a bottle of Gatorade as they left!
我在這裡休息的時候有一群從韓國移民過來的中年男生走過來跟我聊天。他們知道旁邊有PCT這個步道，他們也打算走PCT的一段，只是還沒選定日期。他們很好奇在步道上走那麼久食物、衣服等等要怎麼辦，我儘量回答他們的問題。他們離開前還拿一瓶運動飲料給我！
Back on trail, I passed one of the few huts on the PCT that are open to public use, the Peter Grubb Hut. This is used by cross-country skiers in the winter, when the snow can completely cover the first floor of the hut and the outhouse, hence the ladders up to second floor entrances. The inside was nice and cool, had a nice wooden floor for sleeping upstairs, and lots of benches and a table downstairs. It would have been a perfect spot to spend the night, but it was only 1 p.m. so I had to keep hiking.
休息完後很快就走到一棟石屋，PCT全程只有幾棟開放給大眾的這種建築物。冬天有人會滑雪來這裡過夜，那時候雪量多，可以把一樓完全埋在雪下，所以外面才會有梯子讓人從二樓進去。室內涼爽，二樓有木頭地板供人睡覺，一樓有很多椅子和桌子供人坐下來吃東西、休息。在這裡過夜一定很舒服，可惜我經過的時間太早了，只能看一下再繼續走。
The smoke from yesterday was gone and I was treated to clear blue skies again. Northern California is really turning out to be a lot nicer than I expected.
昨天的煙飄走了，今天的天空是純藍色的。北加州到目前為止比我想像的漂亮很多。
The next day I walked into my next town stop, Sierra City. Instead of taking the PCT all the way, I took an alternative route that I had read about in the app. It was about the same distance to town as the PCT, but it was supposed to pass by a really nice swimming spot in a creek. At midday on a hot August day, there’s nothing like jumping into some cool clear water. It turned out there was even a little waterfall emptying into a pool that was deep enough to dive into. Perfect!
這一段的終點是一個小鎮Sierra City，我選擇不要一直走PCT到這個小鎮，我反而走另一條路。我在手機的app看到有人推薦這條路，距離跟PCT差不多但是有一個很棒的戲水處，八月中午在大太陽下能跳進冰涼的溪流玩水真的很幸福。我發現戲水處有一個小瀑布，下面狗深讓我能直接跳進去，這裡是戲水的天堂。幸好這裡不是台灣，不然一定會有禁止戲水的警告牌。
Just a mile further down the road was the town of Sierra City. This town is very welcoming to PCT hikers. The church even lets us set up our tents in the yard for free. Right next door is a public washroom with shower. The general store holds packages for hikers and has some great food in the deli, including the Gutbuster, a massive hamburger with a one-pound patty.
再走一公里多就可以到小鎮。這個小鎮很歡迎PCT登山客，當地的教會甚至讓我們在教堂旁搭帳篷，不收錢。隔壁有含淋浴間的公廁，雜貨店會代收包裹也提供好吃的餐點，要特別提到的是一個16盎司大漢堡，應該只有登山客會點這一項。
This was a great place to rest up for half a day before carrying on. I’ve come a long way already but there is still a lot of trail left.
我決定在這個小鎮休息半天，明天再繼續走，待這裡很舒服所以先不要趕路。明天一定要繼續走，我從墨西哥的邊境到這裡已經走完很長一段路，不過前面還要走更長的一段路我才算走完PCT的全程。
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