Mile 2168-2195 Unnamed campsite to campsite near dirt road

Camped with a big group of hikers last night. This morning we all left around the same time and hiked in a long train. The scenery was like being on the set of Gorillas in the Mist, without the gorillas or Sigourney Weavers. We all stopped at the same water source to break. I jogged round the corner to the foot bridge to quickly wash and I had just climbed about a foot down the embankment to the river when I felt a sharp pain in my right buttock. A wasp/hornet sting. By the time I had contemplated whether or not to continue down to the river, I had been stung another 3 times. 

The talk back at the break was all about the hornets nest on trail in 8 miles. Apparently 9 out of 10 hikers reported getting stung multiple times on the class of PCT 2013 Facebook page. I decided to get this section over with quickly. I also prefer not walking in big groups, so I headed off in front. We had been warned by a south-bound hiker that by the time you reach the first "watch out for hornets" note on the trail, you will have already been stung. On the way there I met Kazuyo, a Japanese hiker doing a little south bound section in order to go back to the PCT Trail Days event in Cascade Locks. She said she had walked right past the hornet area and didn't see or feel anything.

I decided that, rather than walk around the hornet area, I would try the high risk approach and just run as fast as I could. I thought about putting waterproofs on, but it is so humid and I preferred the extra risk involved in a bare-legged approach. 

Tracy stealthily walked through the section in her rain gear unharmed. Katie walked up and around the section unharmed. I ran through the section at 20 miles an hour and got another sting on the back of my ankle. Still, it was exciting. I also did a face plant and went over on my ankle twice. 

To cap off the day we had a thunderstorm and had to put up tents in the rain. Everything is damp or wet. Our sleeping bags are damp from last night as there was no sun today to dry them. We haven't been able to use the solar panel either, so before I use up anymore battery life on this phone, I'll bid you goodnight. xxx