August 16, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Saddle near lakelet, Mt. Thielsen Wilderness
Miles: 25

Kirsten: Our loosely formed group has stayed together for another day and I think everyone is enjoying the company. Adrian seems to get along with Lil' Wrangler and Don't Panic well and they all have a fairly similar hiking style. Don't Panic is a mellow and patient guy, just like Adrian and I can see those two becoming friends.

The day was fairly uneventful until late afternoon when a thunderstorm developed. We all hiked towards the saddle as the clouds, which had been threatening to unload most of the afternoon finally did. Thunder cracked and a light rain fell for maybe a half an hour. At one point I turned and looked behind me just as a bolt of lightening struck several miles away. The thunder exploded less than 30 seconds later right above our heads as we hurried along the trail. Moments later the sky quieted and we made it into camp. Lorenzo predicts a bigger storm tomorrow and I wouldn't be surprised. The rain today was short-lived especially in comparison to the widespread cloud buildup. It seems as if the atmosphere is still unsettled and has more storms in store for us all.