Jammin' with Jameson

30.3 miles. Madeline and I woke up at 4:45 and saw that everyone else around us had already stealthily left. We saw some headlamps not far off in the distance starting on the ridge line. I was extremely tired and didn’t want to get up but my bowels had a mind of its own that convinced me to leave my sleeping bag at a rapid clip. I started hiking and heard the news that Veto had felt sick and got picked up at the second water cache. Right as I was talking about it, my stomach started acting up again and I felt pretty shitty for a while. After a break, I was able to have shade most of the way downhill and stopped for a snack around 9:30. There was definitely something in the water that we had dunked our shirts in the night before so we all smelled disgusting that night and I couldn’t dare put on my sun hoody that morning. I quickly washed at the first bit of water I got to. At the next water source, I took a break washing some clean socks for the next day and dunked my shirt in the water to prepare me for the next big climb and to try to make it 13 more miles in the middle of the day in order to set me up for an afternoon hike getting to my first 30 mile day. Surprisingly, the big climb felt like it went by really fast and my body and hip felt great after so much rest the day before. I kept moving and grooving and only had a quick break for lunch. I was doubly motivated to make it all the way by mid afternoon because I heard that it was a common spot for trail magic. I got there at 3:30 and was able to get the last banana and Gatorade but missed all the pizza and brownies. The siesta passed by quickly and soon enough it was 6 o clock and Madeline, Swell, Cowabunga, Oyster, and I headed out for a 6.5 mile climb to reach the coveted 30 mile day and set us up for an all downhill 15 mile day into Kennedy Meadows. After 3 miles, I felt crappy and muggy in my shirt so I stopped, took it off, and did the rest alone. We got to the top of the mountain around 8:30 and congratulated each other on such a hard day. We ate happily and talked about waking up for coffee time with Cowabunga for sunrise the next morning.