In and Out

Day 84 - June 28

Mile: 1090.0 to 1101.7

up/down: 1650/1225

New El Dorado county birds: Sooty Grouse, Golden Eagle, Rock Wren, and Calliope Hummingbird 

The little motel was positioned perfect for us to get everything done. Across the street was a diner that specialized in breakfast so we put away a couple thousand calories there. There was a grocery store and pharmacy within a five minute walk for our last minute supplies. Twitchy (yes, that is Susan's trail name now) was her usual self when she's ready to go - twitchy. She called  a trail angel from the list at the resupply outfitter. First call - score a ride. Richard and Carol were virtually on the way out the door to go hiking right where we needed dropped off. How perfect is that?  They picked us up at 10am and half an hour later we were hiking. The Tahoe trail angel list is pretty large, we were Richard and Carol's first "customers" of the season. The ride was fun with them and we really appreciate the effort. Thanks Richard and Carol!

 

We had hiked the piece of trail from Echo Lake Resort to Aloha Lake back in the fall of 2014. That was toward the end of the long drought and the lake was very low. It's not that way now. The hike up was dry and hot, even we can't escape the heat wave gripping the west. But we slogged it out and had a late lunch by the shore of the lake.  

 

 

With the relatively late start getting over Dicks Pass fifteen miles out wasn't happening. So we pulled up short at Susie Lake at the base of the pass. Besides, how could we pass up a lake with that name?  It pleasant here with a bit of afternoon thermal breeze and we have our own Sooty Grouse booming from a tree not too far away. On the way into the lake Susan picked out a soaring Golden Eagle which is alway fun. 

 

 

Oh yes, 1100 mile tick today. Hooray!