Sunday, May 27, 2018 – 11.10 miles

Rock Creek was roaring when I passed it this morning. One of the positives about hiking at this time of year is no water worries, and there’s also a large variety of wildflowers. Lizards scuttling everywhere and butterflies.

My goal for the day was a campsite that the maps describe as ‘exposed campsite with a view of Mt. Shasta’. Exactly my type of campsite! The view was amazing when Queen Shasta came into view, looming over the horizon.

I found another tick near my ankle. It fell into my boot when I flicked it off, then disappeared into the shadows on the ground when I clawed it out of my boot (my plan of debatable wisdom was to get it onto a rock and then throw the rock down the slope). Later in my tent, I was doing a tick check and found one attached to my lower back. Repulsive. I’m not sure whether it was the same tick or a different one.

I still have a sore throat that I got in Burney, and I nearly coughed up a lung today when a piece of beef jerky irritated it. My experience with sickness on the trail is that recovery takes a long time, but hopefully this ailment will stay as a sore throat/cough and not become a runny nose. I brought some tissues just in case.