Northern California
Starting: Section M11 - Above Gold Lake
Ending:  Section N3 - Myrtle Flat Camp

The 3 amigos together again! Briefly. Cookiemonster, Metrognome & I had converged at Belden. Sitting outside the store/bar/restaurant digesting stomachs full of beef we contemplated our next move over several $1 sodas. Keep hiking? Call the trail angels? Hitch to Quincy?

Gnome broke 1st & called the trail angels who promptly picked him up. Cookiemonster & I had a few more over priced sodas then headed for the trailhead. We only made it 50 yards - the clear blue waters of the river below were just too inviting.

The swim made us hungry - so we headed back to Belden for burgers & beer. 2 pitchers later with the sun now low in the sky, we floated out with inebriated smiles & wobbly legs.

PCTA officials: please, please send a trail crew to the section climbing out of Belden. The climb was surreal- buzzed & bushwhacking through a green tunnel of HUGE weeds & the frequent low clump of our old friend, poison oak.

We made it to Myrtle Flat by 9 pm, set up camp, & crawled into our bags. I wonder how long it takes for poison oak's toxin to reveal itself...