We fairly glide down Bubbs Creek, with the lightest packs of the trip. (My starting pack weight, including 5 lbs. of water, was 40+. My finishing weight was 36.) Even the clouds of gnats that dog us the entire way to the Bubb's Creek trailhead (5,100) can't dampen our spirits all that much. We're to the trailhead at 2 and after a quick photo we pack up the Rabbit and adjourn for the Cedar Grove store for beer, hat pins (gotta have 'em), and other sundry desires. Then it's a long cruise down through Grant Grove and over the hill to our lodgings in Sequoia NP at Wuksachi Village . This place is new, it's nice enough, but it's no Ahwahnee. After nine days without a bath, the tub felt great. And the dinner was delicious. For the first time, although we'd smelled them from the Woods Creek trail junction, we were made aware of just how much of the front country of Kings Canyon, Sequoia National Forest and Sierra National Forest was on fire. We were slightly surprised to learn it was Monday, having long ago forgotten about days of the week.
Total mileage: 10.8
We retrieve Erik's borrowed SUV at Vermilion and after 11 hours of very nervy driving we're back in the world, safe at home at 8 pm.
End of the trail
Time out: 9
Time in: 2
Total mileage: 111.3 , in 9 days
Average daily mileage: 12.36
Average daily time on trail: 8:40
Total elapsed time on trail: 78 hours
Average trail speed, including stops: 1.43 mph
8/21/01 TUE