Day 31

Hawaiian shirts are on everyone.  I'm at Casa De Luna.  

Super hippy vibe.  I painted a rock. I wanted to add a yin yang.  No black or white. 

Day 18 - 28

Ten days is a whole lot to cover.  Thankfully I have a physical journal to keep track of all that's happened. Life on the trail is a blur.  Everyday is similar to the last but completely different.   Time starts to get weird and it's difficult to put into words how strange it becomes.  If I was able to recall from memory the last ten days, it would feel like I'm recalling ten weeks.  I'll try my best to write about this time warp.  

Day 19, I left Big Bear with Flash.  I have written about him before where I called him Squirrel.  But now he has an official trail name which I'll be using.  He gets it from an aweful looking old lady silk shirt he wears. Trail names are given but the person who revives the name can decide to keep it or not.  

The previous names he had was meat tosser or squirrel.  It refers to an incident at Warner Springs.  He found a decaying squirrel in the campground.  This prompted him to grab a trekking pole, stab the squirrel, and chuck it over the fence.  Everyone at hobo town cheered in approval.  He also got names which he didn't like.  Flash was the one that stuck.

Sorry, I got off topic!  

We left Big Bear....

            The trail was super easy this day. It was extremely gradual and mostly down hill.  We put in around seventeen miles that day.  There were three quarters of a dozen people at the campsite and I decided to cowboy camp.

I awoke the next day to a nearly black but green bird walking a top me.  Flash said this bird had an odd chirp.  No one seemed to care about his observation.  I was the last to leave camp when I glanced down and saw the bird.  It opened its lips and the sound of 8-bit swords clashing together came out of its mouth.  That was the one and only time I heard the sword bird. 

Flash did the best job he could do and thinks the bird is called a Shiny Cow Bird.  If anyone is a bird person, research into this bird would greatly be appreciated.

Day 20 saw us leaving a forested area and now back to the desert. The climb was moderate.  We came to an area with a hot springs.  I didn't feel like going in as there we a ton of people and sunset was in a few hours.  We heard rumors of a storm so staying long wasn't an option.  There were also nudists in the area. Sweet!

There was a trail angel around mile 317 that was handing out root beer floats.  That made my day.  His name is Coopertone and he's a retired guy having fun.  He also moved his location a few days ago to mile 444 or so and did the same thing.  Having a snack surprise like that is fantastic.  Trail angels enhance the experience.

Anyhow, that day I made it to Silverwood lake. 

I had a nice dip and camped a few miles from this location.

After the lake, it was time to make it to everyones' favorite restaurant, McDonalds.  This was in El Cajon.  There were about thirty hikers already there when I arrived.  The restaurant was humid and stinky.  Since its along the interstate, most customers are just passing through.  The looks of confusion and disgust on some peoples' faces was amusing.  I ended up eatting roughly 3000 calories. I felt disgusting immediately after but the next day, it put a spring in my step.

It was time to get back into the mountains and forest.  The beginning of the day it was cold, foggy, and windy.  I was somewhere around in the 7,000ft range.  These was the beginning of the San Gabriel mountains.  

I had a quick resupply in Writewood then back on the trail in less than three hours. I camped with a bunch of folks at a place called goose hallow.  Being that it's higher elevation, there were clouds aka fog throughout the night.  It was also below or near freezing with wind chill.  For whatever reason, I decided to cowboy camp.  Despite those conditions, I was kept awake by a snoring camper.  I forgot to put in my earplugs.

The next day began summiting Baden-Powell; a wonderful 9k+ mountain that overlooks LA, in the fog.  The entire day was foggy. I didn't bother taking pictures.

Here are some photos from then until now.

There are far too many details I'm missing.  I hope I will have the time later to write about them.  Tapping this out on a smartphone isn't fun.  But no worries everyone, I'm doing fine.  I'm at hiker heaven and will leave for the trail again tomorrow.  

Day 13-17?

I Day 13 started off with a long walk from Idylwilld to the park of San Jacinto.  This is the second highest mountain I have climbed next to Mt. Fuji.

10,834 feet.  I think Fuji is just a few hundred feet taller.  The big difference between the two was Jacinto didn't have vending machines and crowds at the top.

Just some amazing views. 

I was happy to get rid of twelve once a of weight.

Since it was a struggle getting to the top, Squirrel and I camped at 9,000 feet. 

The next day (14) was a chore.  It meant descending to 1,300ft. 

This was such a mental mind game.  It's one of many I have experienced on the trail.  Imagine being able to see five miles but you know you have to go fourteen miles to get to that point but it's going to take maybe eight hours because it's about 100f outside.  That was my day. 

But hey, I got a nice view of San Jacinto.

I gave cowboy camping another try and it was amazing.  Everytime I woke up, I saw a million stars.  I did it the following two nights.  I was able to finally see the Milky Way Galaxy.  Amazing.  

Day 15 started out rough.  This was another 100 degree day and I had to stop at 11am or so.  But I found the most amazing place to beat the heat.  It was so great, I didn't even take a photo.  

Squirrel found some shade next to a shallow creek.  The shadow from the willow tree covered part of the creek.  I laid down in about three inches of water starring at the leaves move in the wind for about two hours.  I had my sun umbrella ready when the shadow moved to much.  I got a little sun burn but I think it was well worth it.  

I took little to no photos the rest of the day as my battery life for everything was super low.

Day 16 started the torture from Mission Creek to Yucca valley.  This was a detour, an in official one that wasn't endorsed by the PCTA. 

Squirrel and I started early at 4:45am.  We walked with G-String for about seven miles.  Walking up highway 62 was gross.  We walked on the side of the road in sand for about three miles uphill.  Finally we hit a circle K where I could get some nasty hot dogs.  Then began more mental torture, the last nine miles to Yucca Valley.

I could see the nine miles ahead of me.  It was all uphill.  Squirrel, G-String, and I beat the heat but from the Circle K to Yucca Valley, it was all in the sun.  Torture.  That was about three hours, looking at the same spot, dodging traffic, uphill, on pavement.  But I did it.  

We lost G-string at the circle K. I heard through the grapevine he was with two Mexican gals and an American gal so he was probably ok.  

Squirrel and I had lunch at a Mexican place where mostly who're people are.  That was weird, not enough food, and the manager who was Mexican wasn't that friendly which is weird.  

We met up with an Aussie.  We were planning to stay at a hotel but the prices were hiked because of a music festival at Joshua Tree.  No way we were paying that price.  

The Quartet of Four, a group we've kept pace with stayed at a hotel.  But unfortunately the ice cream duo couldn't flip the bill.

Dejected we sat at a chevron contemplating out next move.  We thought, "let's camel up, 8 liters of water, a day and a half of food, and head out.  We'll have to camp illegally but we can do it."  We got everything ready for this next phase but had to wait out the sun. We had hours.  After two hours of sitting, a park ranger pulled up and asked if we were thru hikers.  He told us we could camp eight miles up the road at pioneertown preserve.  There was fresh water and bathrooms.  This dude made out crappy situation turn into a great one.

The two of us poured out half our water and waited until 5pm to set out.  We got there a bit after 8.  The ranger bought fruit, pizza, and beer.  I should mention, the people in Yucca valley inherited PCT hikers but the kindness of everyone blew me away.  Cars were always pulling over asking if we needed a ride or help.  This has been true for most of the trail but in this area, it was over the top.

After another night of cowboy camping, it was onto day 17.

(I'm low on time so I'll finish up quick)

The first ten miles were awesome.  Nice people and Joshua trees everywhere.  The second fifteen or so, terrible.  The PCT is home and being on a road where you can't have your own thoughts or a place to rest are agonizing.  I got tired of moving over for Jeep Rubicons.  Plus, what a lazy and lame way to enjoy the outdoors.  I understand dirt bikes but an SUV seems boring.  

At 5pm we hit the PCT again after two days, home.

Today, we made it to big bear.  We got a hitch from Hiker One.  An old fellow on an oxygen tank.  He's sectioned hiked parts of the PCT and has done the JMT.  As I heard his stories about his love of the outdoors I could hear a reggae version of "Knocking on Heavens" door playing over the stereo.  The dude has cancer.  He wanted to hike the PCT when he retired but cancer got in the way.  That's some heavy stuff.

Well, I have many more things to say but I'm tired of typing.  Off on the trail tomorrow!

  

Day 11

Today was quite the day today.  It's going to be hard for me to recall as my mind is a blur.  I have been hiking a lot today, over twenty five miles. 

I started with squirrel at 155.  We pushed it really hard.  We got to 6800 feet, the highest this far on the PCT.  

At mile 162 or so we had to take a detour due to a forest fire in 2013. 

That meant a lot of road walking 

but there still was incredible views.

Eventually we made it to Idylwylld.  I have no clue how to spell it.  

Day 10

After yesterday's fiasco of horrible weather, today was looking up.  I had clouds all day with occasional sun breaks.  I started hiking around 7:30 which is pretty late.  Most of the hills I had today were fairly mild.  The big issue was my feet.  Yesterday's 22 miles of torture resulted in my feet having much more pain than they were used to. I had a slow start.  

I made it past the 150 mile marker after noon.  Then I made my way to Paradise Valley Cafe for lunch.  Many of the people  I've been hiking on and off with were there.  I had a wonderful burger and after an hour hit the trail.  I went with Squirrel, the same guy who I hiked with over the mountains yesterday.

We got a quick hitch a mile down the road.  Now we're about three miles up the trail, somewhere at 154 or so.  Tomorrow is going to be a rough day but the weather should be fair.

Outside of the day to day mileage I'm doing good.  I smell so nasty.  Besides the slight pain in my feet, I might have a rash on them.  I washed my socks again, so I'll see if tomorrow that helps.  

Mentally, I'm doing good.  Its crazy to think how into this trail you have to be to stay on.  I have so many daily chores and routines I have to do.  Those come in between the ten hours I have to hike everyday.  I've never been this constantly involved in something.  Here it's 8pm and that's very late.  Time to get rest.

Day 9

Today I went twenty to miles.  I couldn't have done it alone.  I went with another hiker I met on the trail.  He's from Sacramento.

Anyhow, the day started off early at 6:30.  The weather was cool and cloudy.  As we got higher, the weather changed.  It rained and got cold.  Sorry for the simplicity of the blog but I just finished it today.  Overall, 22 miles.  

In the mountains there was a surprise.  A house.  It had food. Trail angel, Mike.  He nice. Cold food but ok. Me cold. Hands not work. Eat food. Warm up. Get water. Say thank you. Leave. Decended hill, set up camp. Mile 138.4

It late. 7:25. Go to bed. Bye.

Day 8

I'm leaving Warner Springs in a few hours.  I sent out some mail and have spent the past few hours catching up.  This technology thing is tiring. 

Someone left some hair spray so I gave myself a hair do.

Mile 109

Day 7

I had a short eight miles today to Warner springs. It got a bit hot at times but it was a lovely hike.

I saw cows

Eagle rock

Now I'm at Warner Springs.  I took my first bucket shower and bucket laundry.  I had a hamburger.  This update thing is tiring.  I'll write more later.  I've been doing this for two hours and it's too long! 

Day 6

Twenty plus miles today.  I made it past 100 miles. 

Day 5

I left mile 68 full with water.  Way too much water.  It was all downhill until I hit highway 78 and scissors crossing. 

This stretch was tedious.  Once I hit flat ground, it was a three mile flat stretch until I hit the highway.  I took a dump in the desert on that stretch.  Once I was about to hit 78 a van pulled up and dropped off two hikers.  Then neared man named Ed offered me a ride to Jullian, a small town 12 miles away.

I took him up on his offer and my first ever "hitch".

While in Jullian, I resupplied, got an amazing burrito, water, sent some mail, then hitched back to 78 with Ed; a foul mouthed old man.  He was awesome.

I waited under the bridge with other hikers for some cooler weather.  At four I went on my way and made it to mile 80. 

Day 4

Getting caught up on these blogs is rough.  I really don't like typing on my phone.

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This day, I got an early start.  I left camp before six.  I was hoping to catch the sunrise over the mountains.

I really pushed myself this day and managed to crush 22 miles.  I was exhausted by nightfall and fell fast asleep.  I was at mile 68. 

Day 4

Getting caught up on these blogs is rough.  I really don't like typing on my phone.

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This day, I got an early start.  I left camp before six.  I was hoping to catch the sunrise over the mountains.

I really pushed myself this day and managed to crush 22 miles.  I was exhausted by nightfall and fell fast asleep.  I was at mile 68. 

Day 3

The desert is quite cold in the morning and evening.  The temperatures are close to freezing on some nights.  This makes it great for a good early start, a break mid day, then a nice few miles in the evening.  

I spent most of the morning, hiking alone.  Then I managed to make it to Mt. Laguna with a group of hikers.  There we had lunch.  It was my first hot meal since the day before I left.  I never thought a bowl of chilling would taste so good.

After lunch, I stopped off at the local store.  The prices are gouged so I didn't buy much. 

I hiked with Tennessee and a fellow from Puerto Rico.  Then we saw this.

It was the first time I had a breathtaking view on the trail.  We stayed at the Mt. Laguna camp grounds where I had my first shower.  A four minute shower never felt so good.