Kennedy meadows to campground - 8 ish miles

Total - 710.7 miles

Woke up excited as today was the day that my dad was coming! We packed up all our gear after breakfast and did some chores. I had to sew my quilt as one of the Bungie cords snapped like week 3 and I never got around to sewing it aka I was way too lazy. Fixed that with a botched see job and then Caleb swindled me into sewing (badly) his hole in his pant pocket. He really just asked and I was willing to do it. Stabbed myself with his shitty needle tho so Klara was nice enough to give me a nice sharp one. After that we just waited it out. I anxiously kept checking his location as he got closer. A thunder storm hit while we were waiting and Marc and I were in the hammocks during the worst of it. Cold and a lil damp we waited it out. I ended up getting a burger despite saying I wasn’t going to. A sloppy good ass burger. Delicious. After my dad lost service I couldn’t see his location so I had to guesstimate when he was coming aka around 3. Sitting nervously on the bench I saw him and rob pull up in their car. Quickly I got up to go meet him and he walked out of the car and instantly I’m tearing up. Seeing him smile at me as we hear hugged made me cry even more as I was so excited to see him after 53 days out in the wilderness. I saw him a little watery eyed as well but we won’t expose him too much. I got to meet rob the guy who brought him out, who was very sweet. After a couple minutes the guys came out to greet my dad and rob enthusiastically especially since Marc got squeezable peanut butter and jelly as well as Caleb got new shoes as my dad picked them up from the rei store for him. We quickly organized everything within 45 minutes of him showing up and started the 8 mile journey to camp. Dad and I stuck together for the most part while Marc was talking to rob for the first couple of miles. 3 miles in…trail magic of spaghetti for pct hikers. Dad is good luck! We decided to stay even though we weren’t that hungry and talked to the trail angels. They were so sweet and very inspriring saying to make the most out of the sierras and make as many memories outside in the wilderness as you can. Sierras will change you and challenge you and you will be better for it. That got dads retirement meter up to 20%. We are working on 100% by the time he’s done in the sierras. Or it will put him through so much pain he might need a sedintary life after I’m through with him. Then he headed out for the final couple of miles to camp. The guys passed us and right before camp we hadn’t seen rob since spaghetti so we waited. He had some issues with his pack so he was about 10ish minutes behind. We walked into camp around 8:30ish and basically went straight to bed. Great first day with the father! Good intro and gorgeous sunset to put him right as ease diminishing his stress hopefully.

Forgot to mention my pack weighed in at around 44 pounds with ice axe, 8 days worth of food, micro spikes, and bear can. HAVE YOU EVER HAD 44 FUCKING POUNDS ON YOUR BACK AND WALK UP HILL. I CANT FEEL MY SHOULDERS. They are gone. I’m tired. After 8 miles. I’m 700 miles in and I still hurt goddammit. Dads pack weighed in at 42ish pounds with a liter of water. I had 2 liters. Don’t know what I’m carrying where my pack is heavier.