Day 17 (29 May 2024) - Super excited - Jake is camping with me tonight and hiking with me tomorrow!!!

Miles - 9.9

Total Miles - 130.2, Miles left - 85.5 (per NCT map)

Elevation Gain - 536' - 8,614' total

days - 17 hiking, 26 total since start

Bike shuttling - 9.2 miles (total - 71.5 miles)

I made a reservation yesterday for Brule River State Forest Campground. It's really nice even if it's close to a road. Deb and I stayed here a couple of years ago. I left home early in the morning and after dropping my bike off at the end of my first segment I was on the trail at 9:40. It was a beautiful sunny day. Today I did 3 segments (4.82 mi, 2.9 mi & 2.26 mi) with three bike shuttles. Unfortunately all 3 shuttles were done mostly on Hwy 27. I'm not really a fan of riding on the pavement but it is faster and the hills tend to be less steep. I finished around 4:15 and Jake arrived at the campground at the same time. 10 minutes later we were sitting by a campfire having a cold beer.

Elevation Profile of my first bike shuttle

The hill at the end was steep. If I walked my bike up the hill does it count as a bike ride? If no one saw me walk up the hill did I really walk? So many unanswered questions.....

After logging a few years ago the forest starts to regenerate but it will be a hell of long time till its the same as it was, but it's now a haven for wildlife. I hear way more birds in the new growth than I do in mature forest. It was a concert of bird songs.