The weather forecast predicted 106F / 41C. Way too hot for hiking. So we wanted to get up early and cover as much as possible before the heat would get too bad at around 1pm. So we were ready to leave at 5am. When I wanted to put on my shoes I first thought I had forgotten something in them. But when I looked inside I couldn’t believe it – my orthotics were deformed! They had melted in the sun… 😳
Melted orthotics are one of the worst things possible. I can’t walk without them since I have very flat feet and do get inflammations in my legs immediately. But walking in melted One will give you blisters for sure. Both things which you do not want for hiking. We tried to find the closest orthotist – but of course there was no one open at 5am and there were all quite a fair bit away. I tried to glue which didn’t work and then went went to the taping strategy. I was going to give it a try and if it didn’t work I had to bail out and get new ones…
First stop the Burney Falls. See it yourself.
And then we continued as fast as we could. All uphill for today. It was getting warmer and warmer with every minute. Unbearable. At 1pm we reached a stream and got our seating pads out. Break for the heat. So we hung out underneath the bridge for 5h until the sun finally went down and the temperature also started dropping.
We had done 15mi already, another 8 were to go. The forest started to get thicker and thicker. Almost New Zealand style. A lot of thorny stuff and the trail hadn’t been maintained this year so far. Quite a fight.
When we finally came to the arrived camp spot the already annoying mosquitos were going insane! 30-40 of them on each of us and no escape. I put my rain gear on to find protection and almost died because of a heat stroke at still high 90s. We all tried to cook fast, hang our food and escaped into the tents. These beasts! They got me at least 40 times… 😝
But at least my orthotics held together!
