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Southern California Some people say, "The world is a small
place". Such people have not walked the length of this State! 20 April Early Morning, Mount Laguna Campground I can't believe we've started. Read Miller & Glen Van Peski
drove us through bumper to bumper San Diego traffic (at 5.30am!) and right to
the border fence. Lots of photos, quite a lot of audio recording (did I
mention I'm hoping to make a radio prog) then off. For the first two
days we've been blessed with unseasonably mild weather. What could even be
called a chill wind blew us along, although the ground is still hot. Neither of us is prone to blisters, but we both have them
already. I knew it would happen but I don't fully understand why? Perhaps
it's the dust blowing into the shoes, but each step feels like lots of little
pins are sticking through our soles. We had allowed 4 days to reach Mt Laguna, but spurred along by
Glen, we've done it in two, which is too fast. We've been carrying 6 litres
of water and every part of our bodies aches. When we leave here it'll be
worse because we'll have to carry more food (I'm going to sit down and work
out exactly how much soon) plus we have to walk 22 miles without water, and
will probably want to camp somewhere in that stretch. We're trying to get into a good rhythm of rising, then walking,
with damp sleeping bags and tarp stuffed into bags. Once the sun is strong we
stop, dry the stuff out, and eat breakfast of cold granola. We snack along
the way, then have our main meal between 2.30-4.00 (the stop lasts an hour)
then when we reach camp we each "lunch" type food, with crackers
and cheese. Glen has been incredibly generous. He gave us items like
lanyards, platypus bottles which take drinking tubes, and cutting a
groundsheet from ultralight spinnaker fabric. He's also going to mail some
extra fuel & food to us, plus any equipment we need. WeÕve left a
large pile of kit at his home. If we have more nights as cold as last night,
I'll want my insulated jacket. The Post Office here only opens at 11am
Saturday, so we're not storming off today. Kind of a rest day for us. Lunchtime, Mount Laguna Post Office Or rather, it DID! Last night we checked the sign, which
confirmed this place opened at eleven oÕclock. So we came here for noon
to collect our first re-supply box, only to find a NEW sign saying the Post
Office SHUTS at 11!!! Deep breaths, Simon. We re-supplied from
the adjoining store, but we don't have the guidebook to section B which is in
that box, so we'll have to return, hopefully with Read or Glen. What a shame!
The store is run by Julie & her Mom, who are very hiker friendly and
helpful. The only fuel they had was rubbing alcohol but she says sheÕll
stock denatured alcohol in future. Given our experience with the Post
Office I would recommend mailing re-supply parcels to this store (tel: 619
445 2342 or 473 8533). 20 April Near Pioneer Mail Trailhead We managed just 10 miles today, but we started late after our
Post Office fiasco. Otherwise, it was a good day. Cooked about 5pm next
to a faucet by a trail head, the last reliable water for almost 30
miles. We've been told water from the tank at Pioneer Mail picnic area
up ahead is not recommended, even if itÕs treated & filtered. Liz is suffering with her blisters. We had intended to camp on a
saddle, but there was nowhere open & flat. We kept going and before dusk,
spotted a space, just off trail, on a carpet of leaves. Sheltered & cosy
for the night, hopefully not too cold. Sun 21 Apr Chariot canyon road 2.45 pm Another cold night. Water in the platypus froze. I woke in
middle of night and was alarmed to find someone shining a very bright torch
at us from the trail! I sat bolt upright and yelled,
"hello"! Then I realised I was shouting at the moon. A hotter day today. We met Ron Strickland, section hiker, who is
taking lots of photos with the aim of producing a coffee table type book of
the PCT. Ron donated moleskin to the cause of Liz blistered feet
because we're running low. She engineered her feet, sitting in the
shade next to a large pile of water bottles left by generous trail
angels. Nice people. We're not going fast or far today. Liz's feet are too sore
and I'm hauling 8.5 litres of water for us both. While we've stopped to eat
our main meal, we in turn find we are being eaten, by ants! The red
ones, fire ants, give a nasty sting. Granite Mountain The afternoon was more gentle and we successfully covered the
rest of our intended 15 miles. Stopped about 6.30 on a flat spot under
Granite mountain. Ron camping with us. He is a fascinating man who has hiked
in many, many places. He has refined his life to such an extent that,
at home he can exist quite simply and cheaply, using his money to hike. Liz spent an hour on her feet again tonight to save time in the
morning. My one blister was sorted much quicker. Apparently, the big heat is
coming in tomorrow when we have the shadeless climb into the San Felipe
hills. Mon 22 Apr 11.38am Scissors crossing (under a road bridge in the
shade) Despite a 5.30 alarm we still we're not hiking until nearly 7
am. We must get going faster. But of course, feet repair takes time,
and we both have blisters. Compeed is the only stuff that sticks to our hot,
sweaty feet, but we have just one piece left. So we're using duct tape which
peels off after a few hours. We stop every hour for 10mins to cool our
feet. It works, but it pushes our speed down to 2 mph instead of 3 mph on the
flat. Trail Angels (oh how we love you!) left 2 water stashes near
here, which we've used. ItÕs excellent because weÕve just spoken to a
local who reckons the creek is polluted by cattle upstream. So we're sitting here like vagrants, under a concrete road
bridge, cooking, resting and waiting for the heat to go out of the day before
we tackle the shadeless climb with full packs of water into the notoriously
arid San Felipe mountains. We plan to walk late into the night, and hopefully
find a water stash tomorrow, or it's 23 waterless miles to Barrel Springs. Oh, the umbrellas covered with silver space blanket Mylar foil
give great shade, but they are fragile and Liz can't use hers with her
poles. She prefers to stick to the poles. Ron will be here soon
and I imagine he'll want more photos in this "classic" PCT location. 8.41 pm 1st Pipe gate on San Felipe Mountains We left the shade of the bridge and immediately met two trail
angels, Jim & Anne who were driving past having just replenished the
water stash. I love these folk. With 5 litres of water each, we attacked the long, long zig zags
up into the San Felipes at 4.00 pm, and it was immediately clear Liz's feet
were much better. Sticking to our 10-15 min rest pattern every hour to change
into dry socks, we covered the 8 mile uphill to 1st pipe gate in just 4
hours. We've settled for a night under the stars, and I'm about to use our
limited water to make tea. Tuesday 23rd April 3.27 Barrel Spring We've come over 100 miles now, fifteen of them this morning. We
slept very well, high on the hill, and were walking by 6am. We followed our
pattern of resting feet every hour, and covered the 15 miles to here by 2pm,
that's 8 hours on the go. Read has offered to pick us up and drive us back to Lake Morena
for the kick off, and he'll probably want to meet us Friday. The easiest
location to meet is the town of Warner Springs, just 8.7 miles from
here. We could reach it tonight, but would have to stay in town 3
nights, so we're taking our time. We found an large old plastic water bottle, cut out the side and
used it as a basin filling it from the trough to wash ourselves and our
clothes. We managed to get fairly clean but the Patagonia shirts won't be the
same again! WeÕre laying in the shade of a lovely tree. Liz is doing
foot surgery and things are improving but we need Read and Glen to bring
fresh Compeed. We will probably hike on for a few miles in an hour or
two just to escape the sound of the road. Wed 24 April 11.00am Warner Springs Ranch, Rm 32 A luxury resort. The generous owners offer a $49 double
room rate to PCT hikers, so it has become a popular stop. Anything
would be better than where we ended up last night. We had dettled down for a night under the stars when, just
before switching the torch off, I saw hundreds of large, red fire ants,
swarming beside our groundsheet. These things have a hell of a bite,
injecting an acid which stings like crazy. Panic! We leapt up, stuffed
everything into our bags, then hiked for mile after mile across open plain.
This was cow country, and where there was cow sh*t there were fire
ants. Finally, long after 10 pm, we found spot to sleep. This morning, after breakfast in the woods, we finished last few
miles to Warner Springs. As we walked in, we met two thru-hikers
heading out. TheyÕre Pete and Ed, a father and son team from Canada,
although Ed still has distinctive Cheshire accent. Because we intend to go to
the Kick Off we may not see them again. Warner Springs Ranch is now a golf resort, and a competition is
taking place today. So we polished off a huge lunch, sitting in the clubhouse
wearing shorts and fleeces, surrounded by folks in full golf regalia.
It was quite a bizarre scene. The washing machine struggled to remove
all the trail dirt, despite things going through twice. Staying here
will cost over $100 for the two nights, but it's an obvious place to be
picked up by Read and taken to the KO. Oh, and it's raining. Now. On
our day off. Great timing. Hope it's not snow higher up. Later, by the pool The springs, which give this place its name, are natural,
sulphurous hot springs. Although Native Americans used them for years,
it was a white man called Warner who put the place on the map. They now
feed a large swimming pool in which we just spent an hour, floating in
temperature of 103f, with alternate dips into an equally large pool at
regular temp. If the PCTA could please install something like this at
every re-supply point..... We met Ron Strickland again, this time in the pool. He told us a
hiker called Christopher, with whom we brief spoke in Lake Morena, and a
group of other hikers have just arrived, while a couple from Tennessee left
when he was collecting his food box. I'm really pleased this place now
welcomes hikers. But it's going to be difficult getting Liz out of the
pool! Sat 27 April "ADZPCTKO" - Lake Morena Campground Nine days ago, when we walked through here, we were struggling
towards the end of our first day in sweltering desert heat. Now the
place is waterlogged! Glen & Read picked us up at Warner Springs last night and,
with another thru-hiker called Mark, drove us here, pausing only to
experience the dubious delights of an all-you-can-eat buffet in a tacky
casino. The drive was difficult for Glen because the weather has turned
awful, with heavy rain and low cloud. ÒThis doesnÕt happen here at this
time of the yearÓ Read assured us. Except it was happening! It
seemed more like a Friday night in Scotland, heading North for a weekend on
the hills, rather than a drive through Southern California. However, our new Tarptent was baptised and it performed
admirably. Today I've been meeting many people whose websites and journals
I have been reading while preparing for the trip. For me it's
interesting, but Liz is bored. She doesn't like crowds. Now in
its fourth year, the Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off is
organised by past thru- hikers and section hikers to get the "class of
2002" on their way. The idea is by talking to those who have done it,
some of the doubts and last minute nerves are dispelled. It's also a chance
for the others to have a reunion. Some left early to hike from the border back to here in time for
tonightÕs barbecue. We will leave after weÕve eaten, and Glen & Read will
drive us back to where we left the trail. I'm getting some good audio
recordings, including "flyin'" Brian Robinson who hiked the PCT,
the AT and the CDT all in one year last year, an achievement some people said
could not be done. If it were hot and sunny, it would be a very different day. Damp
and cold, the atmosphere is subdued, but everyone is very friendly and
kind. Around lunchtime I met for the first time Henry Shires, a lovely
chap who has been of great help while I've been planning this. He also gave
us the Tarptent to evaluate. He and his wife are going to England in
May/June to walk WainwrightsÕ C2C and we have been of some help with his
planning. Hopefully, we'll meet up in the UK one of these days, and it would
be great to see Glen & Read with their families too. As it is,
Henry has promised to drive out and see us if we make it to Tuolumne Meadows
in Yosemite. Sunday 28 Apr Tule Canyon 9.15pm Three days off the trail and weÕve gone soft. It felt like
starting all over again. We even lay in bed, sorry, in our sleeping bags
until late, and dinÕt start walking until 9am. How lazy are we? Glen & Read dropped Mark off by the highway outside Warner
Springs, but we'd already walked the next 8m on our day off. So they
drove us up this tiny, rough road and we piled out about 10.30pm. We just
camped in the turn off, but Glen cannot have reached home until the early
hours after a very long day. New blisters seem to be forming and new aches are
emerging. We try to remember the mental games we play to help us drift
along the trail. We're doing just over 2mph, up and down. That's slow,
but then we're stopping almost every hour to change socks and dry feet, a
procedure which takes 15 mins. When we stop doing that, and we will gradually
increase the time between stops, our speed will increase. Tonight we're in the open again, enjoying the fact Read &
Glen gave use the use of their insulated Moonstone sweaters to help cope with
the cold nights until we reach Idylwild where our warm jackets are in our
bounce box. I've been planning the next couple of days, leapfrogging between
water sources, but now it's 9.15 pm and well past my bedtime. We'll go
to sleeping tonight listening to strange rustlings in bushes, and a chorus of
bull-frogs "ribbeting" in the Canyon below. This feels a long
way from Glasgow! Mon 29 Apr 5pm "Hiker Oasis" - Anza Paul "the bear" Miller has run the Hiker Oasis for
more than twenty years. Ron Strickland advised us to call in here, but we
knew it was five miles off the trail, and thatÕs a long detour.
However, just as we were getting going this morning, we met a thru-hiker
called John, who uses the Trailname ÒChedarheadÓ. He had stayed at the
Hiker Oasis last night, and the owner drove him and a day pack down the trail
co he could hike a section without carrying all his heavy equipment.
ItÕs called Òslack-packingÓ. John had arranged to be picked up on the
highway, so we decided to call in too. Along the way we met three guys from the PCTA. We chatted
for a a moment, then one of them said, ÒYou must be Simon the TV
reporterÓ. Scary! Turns out heÕs a friend of Henry Shires and had
guessed who I was from the English accent. Jim Stone, the PCTAÕs Bay
area co-ordinator invited us to stay if we're in San Francisco. They
showed us their highly detailed maps of the area, which are over-laid with a
grid of squares. Each square is a parcel of land, some public, some
private. The trail has to wind its way across this checker board, and
the PCTA is trying to buy up certain parcels to straighten out the route of
the trail. ÒSo you can come and hike a different route in a few years
timeÓ, one of them joked. Yeah, right. We're blessed with cool weather, mid 70's to low 80's, in an
area where mid 90's to low 100's are normal for this time of the year. And a
breeze - lovely! We reached the Pine to Palms highway by 3pm, and
everything came together. Paul picked us up at the Paradise Corner
restaurant, and now we're at his home with our tarptent set up on his
lawn. We've showered, Liz is putting the washing in the machine, and six of
us thru-hikers are going to be fed a meal of spaghetti. After 25yrs in the Navy, Paul is settled on the edge of his
mountain, and he has great plans for this place. For the many years, he ran
the Oasis, not here but in a corner behind an RVpark called Kamp Anza a few
miles up the road. After a disagreement, he left and set up shop at his home,
which is a nice trailer, surrounded by lush grass. Totally out of place
in this hot dry land, it is superb to lie on, better than any mattress.
With Pat, he is trying to arrange legal easements, so he can mark out a 3
mile side hike from the PCT directly to his door, which would avoid all the
messing about in cars. All manner of developments are planned for next
and future seasons. These people are real trail angels. Tue 30 April 5.12pm Camped below Palm View Peak Desert days are supposed to dawn bright and clear. Today, I woke
at 5am to thick fog, and a heavy dew which soaked the grass, tarp and
sleeping bags. The gear is still a little damp, even now. The section North of the Pines to Palms highway was the best so
far because the trail quickly but gently climbed out of the river wash,
hopped on a ridge, andthen followed it. Soon we were soaring high over the
desert floor, cruising along a ridge between 6,500-7,500 ft. The trail
switched sides as it thread its way under and around the peaks. The East side
of the ridge was hot and sunny, but an increasingly fierce wind blew from the
west and on that side we needed warm clothing & windproofs. At Cedar Springs trail, I dropped 1m off the ridge to fetch
water. John (Cheddarhead) had camped for the night near two section hikers.
No sign of two hikers who we met at the Hiker Oasis and know only as Òthe
BrothersÓ. Back on the ridge we cooked then pressed on a couple of miles,
but stopped when we saw a sheltered campsite. It's earlier than normal, but
we're out of the worst of the wind. The gathering cloud looks ominous,
and Liz needs time to attend to her new blisters. The new Merrell
Exotech shoes Glen brought to the KO had fit her fine at home. But out
here, with swollen feet, her little toes are cramped. I'm wearing
identical shoes and I'm in great shape, not a blister, but I suppose my time
will come. It certainly helps having brought shoes a full size larger than
normal. Actually things look rather bad with LizÕs feet. The little toe
is pushed under the next one, and a ridge of callous forms on it. This ridge
keeps splitting, which is very painful and may be infected. It's slowing her
down, and we may have to seek medical help in Idylwild. I couldnÕt walk
with an injury like that, but then sheÕs tougher than me. Tonight, we're camped just off the trail. The tarp is
squeezed onto a small piece of sandy ground, and if we look over a pile of
rocks, we have a stunning view down several thousand feet to the retirement
resort town of Palm Springs. Like PaulÕs lawn, it seems completely out
of place in the desert and must take billions of gallons of water to keep it
looking so green. Tonight we'll probably see the twinkle of their town
lights. I don't envy them one bit. We ate our main meal thisafternoon, so tonight it's crackers
with Marmite (Americans don't seem to like the stuff) and peanut butter
(which they consume by the tub). Wed 1 May 6.20pm Forest Service Campground, Idylwild Did I say yesterday had high mountains? Phew - todays really
were way up there! Superb high level hiking, and although the gradient was
more demanding, weÕre now in town. It was a cold night. Liz's bandanna, left outside to dry, froze
stiff as a board. There was a even ice inside the tarp roof. But
snug in our down sleeping bags and borrowed Moonstone sweaters (thanks again
Glen & Read, you WILL get them back) we were if anything too hot! On the trail we met up, and kept yo-yo-ing past thru-hikers Lee
and Anne. TheyÕre geologists who had seen Mark on the trail, and knew
of us by our accents. We've planned to meet at a Mexican restaurant called La
Casita tomorrow night with a few other PCTers. Liz's feet fared better, no real sign of infection, and I took
most of the weight to ease the load. It should be quite tough on me, but I'm
feeling fine. We didn't really want to come to town tonight because the
mountains are a nicer place to spend the night, but we've stuff to do first
thing tomorrow (food box, bounce box, laundry) so we decided it was easier to
pound down the 2 mile trail (2,500ft elevation loss) tonight. We said
ÒHiÓ to some folks who had just driven up to the trailhead parking lot.
They didn't stay long, and because weÕd said hello to them, they stopped to
give us a ride down the three road miles into town, right to the door of the
campground. Thursday 2 May Idylwild - Rest Day The backpacker campground site is right next to a busy road, so
we were up and about by 8.30, and quickly checked into Tahquitz Motel. Considering
weÕll have a whole day here, itÕs good value, and Barbara, the owner, will
drive us up to trailhead tomorrow. This place is HIGHLY
recommended. First on the Òto do listÓ was breakfast. Then we
spent an hour at the outdoor store so Liz could buy a new, larger pair of
Lowa shoes. I took $500 out of the bank, picked up the re-supply and
bounce boxes, and now I'm doing the laundry while Liz soaks in Epsom bath
salts! I found de-natured alcohol fuel at hardware store just behind
laundry, so once I mail the bounce box, and the Moonstones jackets back to
Glen, we can lie around and do nothing. We might even stay another day. Friday 3 May 5.50pm Deer Springs We didn't stay an extra day! Soft as the bed was, as lovely as
Idylwild is, we decided inertia must not get the best of us. But we didn't
rush. I cooked eggs for breakfast, and after shopping, Liz put together
a huge salad, all in a carrier bag which she stuffed in the side of her pack.
A side salad, you might say? Barbara drove us 3m uphill to the trailhead, and we started
uphill. WeÕd been dreading the climb, but it was remarkably easy, and
we gained the 2000ft almost as fast as we'd come down! Liz's toes are
still sore, but the new, larger shoes help. There's a 22m waterless
section next, which is why we decided to start late and only hike to Deer
Spring tonight, the last water we can draw. We should be well placed
for an easy descent onto and across Fuller Ridge tomorrow, and we'll see if
it's as bad as everyone makes out. Saturday 4 May 6.34pm Water faucet, Snow Canyon Road It wasn't! In fact, after the build up, with some folk
carrying ice axes and even crampons, Fuller Ridge was an anti-climax. The
trail isn't even on the ridge, but tucked way down the North side. The only
snow patches were about 4ft long and easily turned. IÕm sure it could
be tricky in very deep snow, but as it is, itÕs hard to see what the fuss is
about. The rest of the day was one, long, long descent. From 9,000 ft
to 1,920 ft. Eventually we drop even lower, down to the lowest point on
the PCT South of the Columbia Gorge on the Oregon-Washington border. And then
we have to climb up again. Just as we reached the water, Lee and Anne caught up with us.
They pushed through to the Pink Motel as I had wanted to do, since we have a
re-supply box there. However, Liz's feet are sore, and she wanted to eat by
the water and then decide. Which will inevitably mean it'll too dark to
find the place. But if her feet are sore, I'd rather do as she wishes. Sunday 5 May 7am A dry, sandy wash near Snow Canyon We did indeed spend the night by the road, but it was a
surprisingly lovely spot. We discussed my feeling that we're "falling
behind", or rather, we're not pressing on when there is still walking
time left in the day. Liz's view is that this walk is not a sprint,
itÕs a marathon, and we must take it easy, even now. Plus, if we do too much,
she'll wreck her feet. I'm sure she's right, but I still feel that when we
can keep going, we should. 11.55 The Pink Motel What an amazing place! Not pink (though part might have once
been) and not a motel. It seems Helen & Don Middleton are yet more Trail
Angels, and have this parcel of land where Don can keep his "junk",
as he himself described it. All manner of rusting trucks, odds and ends, even
a boat, out here in the desert. In the middle of this muddle is what in
Scotland weÕd call a "bothy", consisting of two rooms, one for
cooking one for sleeping. We met Don as he restocked the gas fridge. Seems
the Brothers, Brian, Lesley & Coy (the dog) plus Lee and Anne were here
last night. We missed quite a party! Dehydration hit me here, so I'm taking it easy, drinking water,
while Liz fixes her feet & sorts the food for the next few days to Big
Bear. This is the San Gorgonio pass, and a hot wind drives its way
through here, turning a forest of wind turbines as it goes. We'll let the
heat of the day pass before pressing on. 2.00pm Still at Pink Motel We've decided to move on. We cooked and washed up and Liz
is STILL doing her feet. She doesn't need a book to read, she has hours of
"entertainment" on the ends of her legs. But it's hot. In this cabin it's 83f and the blasting hot wind
outside will make things even stickier. We hope to cover the 9 miles to
Whitewater, which weÕre told is the next water source that is running. 8.48pm Whitewater River It is. Not exactly the raging winter torrent which gives
this river its name, but enough to refill our bottles. We thought we'd missed
it or it was dry but then, thank goodness, we heard the sound of rushing
water. Otherwise it would have been a parched time ahead. We reached the river crossing at 7-ish and the Brothers were
already camped there. They'd arrived early afternoon and stayed there, while
the others from the Pink pushed on to Mission Creek. One of them, who
hopes to complete the thru hike, is suffering shin splints while the other
has an infected blister. A trace of red is spreading up his ankle.
Sadly weÕre not carrying any anti-biotics, but he's only going as far as Big
Bear, about 3 days away, so he should survive. We had intended to hike a little further, but at our first stop,
a large-ish spider scurried across our groundsheet. We tried to shoo
him with our trekking poles, but he seemed up for a fight! (Glaswegian,
obviously). Seriously, we don't know if there are dangerous spiders out
here, so we moved. For the second night in a row we're camped in a dry
river bed looking up at stars. If it rains, we'll get flooded! Monday 6 May 8.11pm Mission Creek Trail Camp Tough day. Hot. Over 95f. A highlight and a low
point. We survived our first rattlesnake encounter, but my first malady
of the trip has manifest itself, painfully and embarrassingly. We knew we were in prime rattlesnake territory. We pass
millions of low bushes every day, but this one had a rattler behind it. It
was 4 ft from the trail. The moment I was clear of the bush he reared up and
was hissing and rattling with head and tail raised. Let's just say, he caught
my attention. I simultaneously leapt upwards and backward, then fled back
from where we'd come. I didnÕt have to tell Liz to run, sheÕd heard the
thing rattle and hiss. It was a blunt, wide snake, about 2 inches in
diameter, and sandy brown in colour. Plucking up courage, I picked up some
sand to throw at it so we could scare it away and pass by, but by then it was
gone. I told my tale to the Brothers when we met them at lunchtime,
but that was nothing compared to the narrow escape Tom had experienced. He'd
done a major call of nature and was, shorts still down, reaching for his
trowel to cover the waste when he saw a baby rattler right beside it. I t has
been there all the time he was "busy". And young ones are worst. An adult know it can't eat a human, so
if it bites, it won't waste much venom on you. The young ones, whose venom is
equally powerful, have not yet learned such restraint. ÒI donÕt know
what would have been worseÓ, Tom told us, Òthe pain or the embarrassment of
having to be medivaced with a snake bite to the ass!Ó. Now - my ailment. Liz has her blisters. I have
chafed buttocks. Goodness knows why! It's not the clothes, it's a
skin-on-skin-thing and it hurts like hell, like a nasty burn. We've just
about run out of Vaseline too, and we've another two days hiking to Big Bear.
They'll think John Wayne is walking into town. Tuesday 7 May 3.29pm Arastre Trail Camp Cooler weather and easier gradients. We're moving fast
today. Met up with Cheddarhead who got stuck with a 4hr hitch out of Banning
where he had to resupply because he didnÕt send a food drop to the Pink
Motel. Along the way we came across a business which trains animals for
TV/movies called Predators in Action. From the trail we could see grizzly,
tiger, leopard and African lion, all in what appeared to be small, shadeless
cages. I'm sure there's a lot more to it than that, but the way the were
pacing didn't look good. 8.34pm Ridge near Highway 18 We probably hiked more than 24m today - no reoccurrence of my
"ailment" but then it hasn't been a sweaty day. The terrain
just leant itself to easy cruising. Great, slightly intimidating views out
across the Eastern edge of the Mojave. WeÕll cross the western side of
this great desert in a few weeks. A dust storm was raging way down
there, and the same wind is chilling our chosen bivi spot while we tuck into
humus & crackers. The Tarptent is up as a windbreak. We'll
not be able to maintain todayÕs pace across all terrain & gradients, and
weÕll want to slow down in the heat, but I'm pleased with how we're now
going. Wed 8 May 1.45pm Mountain Hostel - Big Bear Lake Most PCT hikers stay in Big Bear City where theyÕre allowed to
camp on the lawn of the fire department. Right now I almost wish we had
done so too, because getting here was a pain. We thought we might have been able to hitch a ride to town, but
Van Deusen Canyon Rd was rough, stony and looked like it rarely saw
cars. In fact we werenÕt sure we were on the right road until a passing
mountain biker confirmed it. Eventually we reached Big Bear City, where
we thought weÕd missed the bus to the town further down the road, Big Bear
Lake, where weÕd booked a hostel room. I was using the phone when the
bus suddenly swung around the corner, and in my dash to catch it, I dropped
the padded wing from Liz's pack. Either that or left it on the bus
which stopped just across the street from the hostel. At $40 a night between us, it seems expensive for whatÕs on
offer, but we've booked in here for two nights. I gather Big Bear City
is quite compact, whereas Big Bear Lake seems more spread out. We read
the bus timetable incorrectly, and had to ring the hostel for a ride back
from the supermarket, laden with groceries. But LizÕs rucksack wing had
been handed in. So thatÕs turned out well. Thu 9 May Big Bear Lake Perhaps we misjudged this place. All the traffic was a nasty
shock after the trail, but the hostel with its relaxed atmosphere is great.
Quite a relaxing alternative to sleeping among a crowd of fifteen PCT hikers
camped on Big Bear City fire dept lawn. We had a superb breakfast at
Grizzly Bear Manor Cafe, which was too big, even for me. Big Bear Lake
is a big snowboard destination, and in summer, it switches to mountain bikes.
Grayson, who owns the hostel, ran MTB tours, so all the riders stay with him.
Quite a "Yo Dude!" place. But friendly. The town has lots of snowboard shops, a few bike shops, but not
outdoor store & I needed some new underwear. We ended up at K-mart, but
all the mens were made of cotton which would hold sweat. So, much
to my embarrassment, I had no choice other than to buy womenÕs athletic
shorts made from Coolmax fabric. And I quickly removed the label! We had planned to go see the Spiderman movie tonight but Liz
cooked up a big meal, well, huge salad with prawns and excellent fruit salad.
Then we had to sort the food and pack. And Liz had to Vaseline her feet and
tape them into plastic bags. Don't ask. ItÕs a girl thing. Friday 10 May 11.45 Little Bear Springs Trail Camp We were packing and sorting food until after 10 pm, which is a
late night for us, so the 6 oÕclock alarm was not welcome. Brad drove
us to the trailhead where, by strange coincidence John (Cheddarhead), Lee
& Anne, and two folk from Atlanta, Cherrie & Artie, were all getting
ready to start. TheyÕd all been given a ride by another hiker called
Mark, whose wife and two children are driving between re-supply points as a
support crew, helping hike as far as Mt Whitney. The Atlanta pair are using adventure race packs, which look very
small, little more than Kelty frames with a OR wet bag strapped in.
Very neat. We covered 11 mile in 4 hrs this morning. The trail is good,
trends downhill, through shady forest, all of which contributed to our fast
time. Nevertheless, to cut our weight we demolished two bagels each, stuffed
with salad, cheese, tuna & good stuff. 7.34pm Below Deep Creek Bridge We're camped right beside a gently flowing river. The
others each have a secluded space 50yds away. It's the end of a very
good day. We made good mileage, around 23 miles, and once the bagels
were eaten, my pack felt quite light, even with another 4 days food in it. Of
course, the trail trended downhill today, which mades a great difference, but
it's encouraging. It's so nice to have water pretty much where you want it, and
know when you get to a creek you'll be able to fill up. That also cuts pack
weight, but this greenness won't last much longer. This morning John asked me if the trail was living up to my
expectations. I think I gave a longer answer than he expected, but I said I
saw it on threelevels. The scenery, terrain, and atmosphere is much
better and far more varied than I imagined and, despite the heat, the desert
is staggeringly beautiful. The drudgery of the routine is as every bit as bad as expected
and have previously experienced; wake, eat, walk eat, walk, eat, walk, camp,
sleep. Every day. People, I'm not sure about yet. Perhaps itÕs because I'm
hiking as part of a couple, which is the exception. I enjoy our
conversations with other PCT hikers but we avoid groups as much as possible,
especially in towns. IÕm not sure Liz and I like being part of a PCT
gang. Also I don't like the fact that, when I come into town dusty
& smelly, most folk seem to look at me like I'm a tramp or hobo, but
again, that may just be my impression. That said, the good people weÕve
met, especially the Trail Angels of the PCT, are a race apart. The have
earned their places in hiker heaven. Sat 11 May 3.44pm Near Mojave Forks Dam So we had a Saturday morning lie in. Didn't hit the trail until
8am, but have been going well. Deep Creek hotsprings looked good, but infested with loud, beer
swilling, naked day trippers, sunbathing on rocks and leaping into the creek.
All that blubbery flesh and boisterousness reminded me of a colony of sea
lions, hauled out on rocks, bellowing at one another. The mile long West Fork Mojave Dam, which rears above where
weÕre sitting, is by all accounts a waste of concrete, since rivers here
never have enough water so come anywhere near filling it. Our engineers
could learn a thing or two from a colony of beavers who have recently built a
far more effective damn right underneath the monstrosity. So successful
were the beavers, the PCT had to be re-routed this year, as a shallow ford
has turned into a chest deep river crossing. Trail Angels left water near Highway 173 and we filled up, since
their note says there's no more water for 16 miles. Again, weÕre eating our
mail meal while the heat goes out of the day. Down here at 3,300 ft the
sun is fierce (85f shade), a warning of what the Mojave may hold. Liz is
cooking one of her home dehydrated meals which are the lightest, tastiest
things we have. 8.50pm Overlooking Silverwood Lake We started looking for a campsite at 7 pm but it was well after
8 pm and pitch dark when we found one. WeÕre lying down on a disused
(we hope!) jeep road. After 27 miles, we're both tired and footsore so I'm
making tea and I suspect we won't be up too early. Sun 12 May Best Western Motel, Cajon Pass Actually we had a 6 am start, hiking 4 miles down to Silverwood
Lake recreation area. It was so green and lovely, we ate breakfast and then
hung around for several hours. We are quite tired and this rest really helped.
We also got to meet Harry, to whom I'd spoken at the Kick Off. We hiked a while together but his pace is faster. He's completed
two, one years seasons at the American base in Antarctica and a lot of US
hiking. We kept passing each other as we took turns to stop to eat.
Near the Interstate, which passes through Cajon Pass, we passed Lee and Anne
with Cory & Artie, who seem to be hiking together. They were filling up
with water for the climb to Wrightwood where they will probably arrive on
Monday evening. Do we camp, or spend money on the motel? What do you
think! We headed for the motel, laundry, food and comfort. We'll get
part way to Wrightwood tomorrow and arrive early Tuesday. We'll all probably
leave early Wed so we're not wasting time. So IÕm writing this, sat on a huge Queen size bed, eating
take-out food, drinking a cold beer, and watching TV. Decadence! Mon 13 May 7.00pm Guffy Campground, above Wrightwood Now that was a tough day! 22 miles, 5,000 ft of ascent and
no water on the route. At least the motel did a decent continental breakfast,
of which we made the most. There's little I can say about the haul up. Near the start we
could look down on long railroad trains, and the man in the motel told us
people come from all over the world to watch them wind their way through this
pass. And people think hiking is strange! Other than that, today was a slow, one-foot-infront-of-the-other
day. We kept passing nd being passed by Harry. We had planned to take
the Acorn Trail into Wrightwood, the standard descent, but he pointed out
that six trail miles further along the PCT weÕd hit a highway, where we could
easily hitch to town. Why is that better? Well, when we came to
leave Wrightwood we wouldn't have a 2,500 ft uphill hike with packs full of
food and water, we could simply hitch another ride up the highway. So we're sitting at a camp table, cooking and chatting with
Harry. Oh, and Liz has some new blisters, so I suspect we'll be in town for a
couple of days. Tue 14 May Crystal Inn, Wrightwood Harry started hiking at 6 am, just as we surface from our
bags. I spoke to a hiker who came up from Wrightwood last night, heÕs
Andy who is hiking with a Rotweiler, but it's young and isn't having a good time.
IÕm not sure how far that partnership can last. Our plan worked, and we
quickly found a ride down to Wrightwood. Wed 15 May Crystal Inn, Wrightwood A very hiker friendly town. We ate a big breakfast at the coffee
house, then grazed on salad stuff all day, lounging around, watching TV and
resting. I checked my e-mail and it seems my comments about buttock
chafing triggered quite a response, with soothing suggestions arriving from
around the US and UK. Nappy rash cream has already solved the problem.
We squirted some into an old film canister, similar to one we used for
marmite, so you can imagine how careful we have to be. Artie and Cory left yesterday as did Lee and Anne, so we
probably won't see them again as theyÕre moving fast. Mark has earned
the Trailname ÒBushwhackerÓ after an attempt to find a route from a spring to
the trail resulted in a cross country epic. He left today as did John
& Julie from Seattle. We let Strawberry Girl and a rather tired (possibly
ill) Black Hawk use our room and shower, then they too headed out. Steve and
Kathy, then Gottago arrived and stayed at the motel. The fast hikers
who started after the kick-off have caught us up, even overtaken us. It
really is hiker central here. Thu 16 May 7.30pm Little Jimmy Campground Another lie in bed. Another big breakfast. Checked out at 11 am,
after successfully resisting the temptation to stay another night and hitched
a ride within 10mins back to the trail. I feel renewed by a total rest
day. Liz's feet already feel sore, but we still managed to hike 15 miles this
afternoon, which was a whole dayÕs mileage near the start. Tonight we've met up with Brian, Leslie and Coy their, whose
name is short for ÒCoyoteÓ, which she strongly resembles. Cheddarhead
John is here too and we have a fire going. Very backwoods. This is a lovely part of the trail, mostly at 7,000 to 8,00o
feet above sea level, although getting here involved climbing to 9,200 ft on
the side of Mt Baden Powel. There are trees up here which are supposed
to be two thousand years old. It is astonishing anything can live so
long, and a distinct an honour to temporally share their home. There's a joke going around: How to tell different types of
hikers by their reaction when food falls from a picnic table. The day hiker doesn't notice it. The weekend backpacker picks it up, cleans it off and puts it in
his pack for later. The section hiker stuffs it straight in his mouth. The thru-hikers fight over the piece with the most ants! However, we donÕt really get the joke. We're supposed to
acquire our trail appetites around about now, but Liz has organised such good
food, IÕm sure we're eating better on the trail than in town. When many
people cram themselves with burger and pizzas, we just seek out fresh,
crunchy stuff. Still, the hunger will probably come. Friday 17 May 9pm Head of Bare Mountain Canyon Some days are good, other less so. Today we just didn't seem to
have much vavavoom. Perhaps thatÕs because the route today involved a
lot of up & down, or perhaps it can be explained by the ever rising
temperature, which is in the high 80's, even at 6,000 ft. The heat, and
the presence of vegetation usually seen at much lower elevations, is all due
to the proximity of the Mojave desert, almost as if it is letting us know how
powerful it is. Mind you, we still walked 25 miles. We'd had a disturbed night last night. Deer wandered into camp
and Coy saw them off. But Liz was tired and we took a long afternoon
break from noon until three oÕclock. She had a half an hour of sleep
while I drained water through our bottle filter, and then she cooked up a
superb Tuna a la King, with rice. Fantastic backcountry food! We pushed on, entering a waterless stretch (another reason we
ate early) and hiked until 8pm. What the book called a "grassy
flat" turns out to be a 45 degree slope, but we've found a fairly level
area, where a tree will catch us if we roll. However, we're sleeping half on
the trail, so if a huge speed hiker, a bear or a deer strolls along the path
in the dark, he'll stand on Liz and IÕll roll into a tree. Sat 18 May 5.45pm Messenger Flats Campground One month on the trail today, and something of a food
crisis. Back in Big Gear Lake, we both went food shopping and, as a
result of us both throwing items into the trolley, we ended up buying way too
much. So at our last re-supply town of Wrightwood, Liz insisted on
shopping by herself. Fair enough, but I really should have looked at
what sheÕd bought. Today I discovered that breakfasts are to be Soy enriched
cornflakes! Liz insists weÕll get 220 calories from each portion but I
am unconvinced. She also had the bright idea of buying tortillas for
lunch, rather than crackers. An excellent plan. Except Liz didnÕt
buy the regular soft flour tortillas but the raw corn variety, which have to
be toasted or fried to make them into crisp Tacos. We attempted to eat them
raw, but they were so disgusting we gave up. For some reason I cannot explain, we also decided to deviate
from our usual routine. Rather than eating our main meal in the early
afternoon, we decided to hike until 5 oÕclock. This meant we walked
more than twenty miles to this campground, and by the time we arrived I was
ready to drop for lack of food. I also got a touch of the squitters,
but that was probably from drinking too much water in one go. A chill wind is blowing as Liz cooks (her home made stuff is
still excellent) so I've put up the tarptent with one side pegged down to the
ground to giveshelter. Two days ago I was fighting fit, tonight I feel
rather feeble. I'm sure this will pass. Sun 19 May 8.15pm Agua Dulce, The Saufley's "Hiker Heaven" We walked 24 miles today, which seemed an intimidating goal at
first, but the miles just rolled by, largely because a lot of it was
downhill. A chap called Todd, who looks after a ranger station along the way,
was hospitable, but we couldn't hang around. Down in Soledad Canyon, he told
us one of the RV parks had a burger restaurant. This provided the vital fuel
we needed to tackle the remaining nine miles. Donna and Jeff Saufley are probably the best know trail angels
on the PCT. It's difficult to understand why she and her husband devote
so much time and energy to help hikers. Into their yard theyÕve
squeezes two mobile homes and several huge tents. They give spare
clothes which yours are being washed for you. They have even bought a
jeep which sits outside, ready for any hiker to use, possibly to pick up new
equipment at REI in Los Angeles which is an hours drive away. And they
donÕt expect a cent in return. Donna has taken three precious weeks of
vacation time just to deal with the height of the hikers season. Imagine
anyone doing this on the West Highland Way! Monday 20 May 8am Hiker Heaven, Agua Dulce It is the original snowball in hell morning. It's raining. On
the very edge of the fiery Mojave desert... IT'S RAINING! Mark with John
& Julie are heading out today and they're actually wearing their rain
gear! There's a lot of talk here about how to cross the Mojave. It
seems there is a paved, then dirt road which goes clean across and is 26
miles shorter than the true PCT. Since our ethic has been ÒweÕre not walking
the PCT, weÕre walking to CanadaÓ, we plan to take that. If we can find
it. But today is a rest day, with boxes to sort and loads of other stuff to
do. But first.... breakfast. 9.30pm In Bed We got it all done and I now need another a rest day! This
is a good example of how busy these town days really are. Six of us went out for breakfast. The Saufley's used to drive
hikers places, but Donna spent all her time in a car. This morning we used
the nasty old jeep they bought just for hikers to use, still marvelling at
their generosity. The rest of the morning was spent sorting our Five
boxes, more than most people but I find it handy to have spare equipment
following us around, just in case we need it. However, we're still one
box short. Our bounce box didnÕt reach Big Bear Lake and has yet to
catch up with us, but hopefully weÕll see it in Tehachapi by Saturday. After taking what we needed, we packed the spare gear into 2
boxes, addressed one for Tehachapi and one for Kennedy Meadows, then I drove
the jeep to Soledad Canyon area to the nearest PO where I had to stand
in line for twenty minutes. We've decided to slack-pack tomorrow with John (Cheddar-head).
This afternoon we drove our heavy stuff over to Green Valley and the home of
two more trail angels, Joe and Terry. John and Julie were already there
with Mark, somewhat shaken by all the bad weather through which they had to
hike 22 miles. Back at the SaufleyÕs there are a lot of people here tonight,
many of whom went out to a buffet restaurant. Seeking a little peace we
ordered a delivery pizza. Liz did e-mails & read Vogue (they even
have it), I tried to work out the alternative Mojave route. Brian Leslie
& Coy turned up as did Strawberry Girl & Black Hawk. And we might have new Trail names. We'd joked that ever
since I said to Liz one morning "hurry up, we'll be late", I ought
to be called White Rabbit. I mean, late for what? Does Canada close? And
since she doesn't crave the usual fast foods, but fresh salad, she should be
"Lettuce". So, should we be called ÒWhite RabbitÓ & ÒLettuceÓ.
We were overheard discussing this by Eric, who rejoices in the Trail name
ÒSkypilotÓ. He thought the new names appropriate, and a New Yorker
called ÒGrasshopperÓ, agreed. IÕm not convinced. IÕve yet to meet
the 43 year old Englishman who could introduce himself and his partner as
"White Rabbit & Lettuce". Tue 21 May 2am Hiker Heaven, Agua Dulce "Hiker Heaven" becomes hiker hell when a group of
hikers, who are not heading back on the trail tomorrow, come back drunk and
insist on Deep Purple at full volume, at midnight and refuse to stop.
At 2 am the TV is going too. Consideration for others seriously lacking, but
I guess this happens in a hostel type situation. 6.20pm Green Valley, Casa de Luna Despite the disturbed night we were up at six. And we were
determined to make lots of noise. Strawberry Girl drove us down to the
corner, and John spent the day hiking with us. It's actually cold!
Approaching the Mojave, the weather is really not meant to be like this, but
we're very grateful. We had a gentle hike, enlivened with a surprise
cache provided by Casa de Luna. Joe and Terri have been welcoming hikers to their home for three
years. ItÕs not as big a set up as the SaufleyÕs, but their place has a
lovely quality to it. Two tents on the lawn, food, beer, and genuine
friendship. I reckon the Saufley's might have started something like this. Wed 22 May 4pm Crossing the Mojave Desert For the first time, I'm typing on the move, as we walk a long,
long road. Pancakes & coffee for breakfast, good craick, then a
ride to the trailhead with more discussion and ideas about the fabled Mojave
short cut. Skypilot and Starmite turned up, and they intend to stick to
the true PCT. Good for them. John, Liz & I are just walking
to Canada, so after 50 minutes we parted company and we stepped off the PCT
to hike into the town of Lake Hughes. I'll not go into detail here about the shortcut, but I've made
good notes and will e-mail them to Joe & Donna. Why take it? Well,
primarily we want to get in and out of Tehachapi before Memorial Day, the
Monday when everything closes. However, we were attracted to the idea
of venturing off the official route and onto one about which there was doubt
and uncertainty. WeÕd head that one hiker who tried it became lost and
had to spend the night with a group of strangers he stumbled across who lived
in a Yurt! The true PCT should not cross the Mojave at all, but curve
through the mountains at the Western edge. The route currently heads
out towards those mountains, but the Tejon ranch (a pristine wildlife
preserve I'm told) refused permission for the trail to continue through
them. So the official route had to descend onto roads and follow the
route of the Los Angeles aqueduct, cutting back North East across the
desert. The short cut also follows roads and part of the aqueduct
system, but without the day long detour West towards the mountains. After burgers and fries, we left Lake Hughes at noon and three
hours later were at the southern end of a long straight road, called 170th
Street, which heads due North across the desert. We are extremely
fortunate with the weather. Temperatures are normally around 110f, but
the highest weÕve had today is just 70f. A strong cross wind makes fast
walking difficult, and strangest of all, there are times when we actually
feel hilly! In the Mojave!! 9pm Cottonwood Creek We made it, and the short cut was great. With mild temperatures
it made a pleasant change to hike beside a road. We've seen plenty chaparral
and scrub, which is all weÕd have experienced in the true PCT, but seeing the
road stretch out before us in a perfect straight line was impressive,
quintessential desert image. Suddenly, in a cloud of dust and roar of engine, Joe and Terri
skidded their beaten up VW beetle to a stop alongside us. We chatted, then
they went ahead, returning an hour or so later with superb intelligence that
there was a road, not marked on the map, right underneath big power
lines. As I had suspected, it connected directly with the PCT.
After giving us the good news they then roared off to deal with tonightÕs
influx of hikers. We tried to camp when we met up with the aqueduct, but the
ground was too hard for the pegs, and it's very windy. I've no idea how far
we hiked today, but the section of the "true" PCT which we missed
out was 50ml, so we've saved at least a day and really enjoyed the hike. John is with us, and the wind is still howling, but we're
sleeping out, tucked behind bushes for shelter. What a good day. Thur 23 May 8pm Oak Creek, by Willow Springs Road. Ok, so we're not meant to camp in this picnic area. We're
just eating. Then we may sleep. Who's camping? Much hotter today as the
three of us (including John) climbed out of the desert (3,000 ft) and into
the Tehachipi Mountains (6,000 ft). 22 miles felt much longer. Good water in
Tyler Horse Canyon where we snacked then pressed on. The trail has been badly torn up and rutted by off-road
motorbikes, but it's well marked and was easy to follow despite the plethora
of tracks. When we arrived here, Oak Creek was a disappointment. The
water is flowing, but with lots of horse & cow sh*t around, and who knows
what else up this private valley, we were very doubtful and decided to walk a
short distance to Willow Springs Road to try to hitch-hike to town. We
were less than 200yds along the trail when we stumbled upon a water cache.
Decision made, we returned to this picnic area to cook. John did try hitching
to Mojave but eventually gave up, came back & cooked. Fri 24 May 8.20am Santa Fe Motel, Tehachapi I've never seen Liz get up so early (5.45 am) as when she has
the taste for eggs & hash browns. Within 20 minutes, two Hispanics
in a pick-up truck, going slow because it was behind a big truck, stared at
us really hard and Liz made a comment about Òbeing offered a ride by two
sinister looking MexicansÓ. Immediately, our prejudices were punctured,
as they pulled over and offered us a lift. ÒAll I want to knowÓ, asked
the driver before we climbed in, Òis what weapons you have".
"Do trekking poles count?", asked Liz. "We're
English", I explained, "we don't do weaponsÓ. The pair
thought the whole idea of a 2,650 mile walk outrageous, and were chuckling as
they dropped us off just outside town. Hiking down the road, we spotted a diner and Liz decided this
was the place for eggs. Within minutes of our arrival, a retired local who
weÕll call ÒLarryÓ, volunteered to drive us to the motel, the post office (1m
outside town) and even promised his elderly Mother would do our
laundry. So now we're in the motel, washing ourselves, then we'll call
Larry for a conducted tour of Tehachapi. 8pm Santa Fe Motel, Tehachapi We're in a David Lynch film. We seem to have been adopted
by Larry, who has only half a brain. I could not make this up. He
told us he was in a motorcycle smash and showed us the photographs, while at
the same time, piloting his vast automobile through town. He chain
smokes, and since I occupy the seat normally reserved for his ashtray, I have
to hold it. He is determined to parade his acquisitions (us!) in front
of his friends, which are thankfully few in number. LarryÕs main friend is a 72 year old homosexual, chain smoking,
disabled former teacher who lives in a trailer park. Again, I could not
make this up. We sat in the trailer, consumed by tobacco fog,
attempting to avoid contact with his cat which had an remarkablly high
density of fleas gather around its arse. He has a computer, which
somehow I managed to make work, so he can now write the life story heÕd
clearly intended on telling us. Actually, theyÕre both sweet men, and
itÕs a sign of true pathos that weÕre the most interesting thing that has
happened to either of them in ages. They gave us a polished rock as a
gift. We thought weÕd escaped, but Larry insisted we meet his
Mom. ÒSheÕs real fat with steel pins in her ankles but sheÕs full of
love", he said. ÒShe watches TV all night and doesnÕt wake up until four
oÕclockÓ. ThatÕs four in the afternoon! So we went around
to their house where I had to play a Scrabble type game, called ÒUpwordsÓ
which lasted for an hour and a half, before we were allowed to leave. Half Brain doesn't play, but he does drive. How worrying
is that. He wanted to take us on a road trip tomorrow to look at the
exciting railroad tunnel which people come from all over the world to see. We
telephoned later to explain we were not going to spend the day looking at a
hole in the ground. We intend to lie in bed. I don't mean to be cruel with my descriptions. These folk are
generous but bored. With nothing else to do, they are intense, and to
us, quite, quite strange. Sat 25 May Tehachapi The big escape! Larry had offered a ride to the Post Office, but
after our late lie-in, we decided to walk. We thought it was 2 miles
out of town but was only 1 mile. We chatted to someone who ended up offering
us a ride to the trail tomorrow morning at 6.30. It seems he visited
Scotland to install wind farms and had a great time, so he wants to return
the hospitality. We gratefully accepted, as it means we don't have to
ride with Half Brain and smell of cigarettes for the next seven days. A brunch of eggs, hashbrowns and (for me) a juicy steak at
Dennys, while we argued over who was going to telephone Half Brain and tell
him we didnÕt want the ride. In the end, I plucked up courage. I
only connected to his answering machine, so I left a message. We spent
all afternoon in bed and recovered some of our strength. Larry rang later and
all seems well. Dinner was a nice fresh salad with bread & cheese on the bed
watching VH1. John & Julie (Puget & LE) telephoned from Mojave.
She has tendon problems and is going to rest her leg until Wed, and maybe
skip ahead to further up the trail. We like them, and made tentative plans to
hike through the Sierra together. Julie told us Mark (Bushwhacker) had
left today with Flutterby and Fancy, two women we have yet to meet.
Cheddarhead John is now calling himself Cheese is leaving tomorrow. Sun 25 May 9pm Near Golden Oak Spring A day of reunions. The first we could have done
without! At 6.10, there was a knock on the door, and Larry stood
outside, his car ready and raring to take us back to the trail.
Clearly, IÕd spoken yesterday to the wrong half of his brain. We told
him we had other plans and he took it well. Twenty minutes later we were driving with Dae, whose father came
from Wales, down Cameron Canyon Rd where he grew up. He has a house in
town and one out here in the country, and just as I was thinking weÕd found
the only normal bloke in Tehachapi, he pointed out who lived where.
ÒThatÕs my placeÓ, he indicated, Òand thatÕs where my ex-wife livesÓ.
It was right next door. But that wasnÕt all. ÒAnd that one
thereÓ, he pointed to the very next house, Òis where my girlfriend
livesÓ. ÒI can see why you bought somewhere in townÓ, was all I could
think of to say. Some invisible force draws PCT hiker together. ItÕs like
novice skiers. Send two of them down an open slope at the same time an,
no matter how far apart they begin, they will collide somewhere on the
descent. PCT hikers are pulled to each other by the same
magnetism. Just as we were shouldering our packs, Anne & Lee
stepped out of a car. We hadnÕt seen them in ages, so we decided to
hike together. WeÕd walked less than eight miles when who should catch
us up other than Starmite & Skypilot. We had last seen them on the other side of the Mojave.
They intended to follow the true PCT, while we took the short cut. WeÕd
had a two nights in town, whereas they were just finishing their Mojave
crossing, and couldn't believe the shortcut had allowed us to gain so much
time. Alarmingly, there was no sign of the 10 gallon cache of water
which weÕd been told was near the interstate. Either drunk or, more likely,
vandalised, it meant our water supply was low. I know we ought not rely on
these caches, but I expected some of the 10 gallons to be there. With a
lot of climbing and no water for 16 miles, it was a hot, thirsty day.
At times we both felt utterly exhausted, but Liz endures it better than I do.
I just want to lie down and sleep. On future rest days, our last dinner ought
to be a good carbo boost, not just salad. Arriving at Golden Oaks Spring about 5.45 pm, we met Linda
(Gottago) who is hiking alone but receives regular visits from her husband,
who drives out to the trail from their home in LA. Anne & Lee
arrived close behind, we all ate, then headed on to find camping spots. The
others stopped quickly, we hiked further an enjoyed our first Sierra Sunset. The landscape is subtly different from the mountains we've seen
earlier on the trail. Many mountains seem to be perfect cones, like a childÕs
drawing of a mountain. We tried bear bagging and, on the very first attempt,
lost our rock bag which became stuck up a tree. I need practice, so I
suppose I've come to the right place! Mon 27 May, Memorial Day 3pm Robin Bird Spring It was a chill, windy night, so we were glad we had warm
sleeping bags. No visits from bears. We ate granola with milk powder, drank
tea, and finally got going at 7.30. We're well into the Sierra, the Piute Mountains actually, and
the route is well chosen. It stays as high on ridges as possible. There
are some tough climbs, usually coming after the ridge dips to a saddle, but
most of the time it stays around 5,000 ft. After 18 miles we reached Robin Bird Spring, at about 2.30
pm. Lee & Anne were here, Linda (Gottago) walked in with us, and
we'd just missed John (Cheddarhead). We'll probably walk only another 5ml today,
so we spent time cooking & eating. The more I see what other folks eat,
the happier I am with what Liz has prepared for us. 9pm Near Piute Campground We moved on at 4 pm intending to hike just 5 miles to something
called ÒWaterhole CampgroundÓ. But the waterhole in question was dry,
so we kept going. 2 miles further, a primitive campground had been
improved, and a group of car campers had staked their claim to the
place. TheyÕd strung up proclaiming "Orange County 49'ers" and
looked comfortable with RV's, tents, tables and roaring fires. All very cosy,
but this is bear country, and all those smells were sure to interest the
wildlife. We filled up with water and hiked on. Tue 28 May 10.13pm On a ridge after Bird Spring Pass "Horrible hiking", was how Liz described today. Just
when you think the heat & desert have give way to cool pines - wham! The
hottest, hardest, nastiest day so far. Two water caches ware all but empty when we reached them.
Fortunately we now know to carry enough. I started the main leg of
today with seven litres, which saw us through. The terrain was loose, dirty
sand, which shifted with every footfall. Off-road motorbikes had worn
the trail into a ridged, rutted mess. Two steps forward, one slide back. And
the shade temperature touched 90f. Except there was no shade. With the sun
directly overhead, we plodded on, sipping hot chlorinated water. It was like
drinking from a swimming pool. The only thing I've experienced like this a long climb at
altitude, only here itÕs the sun and sand which conspire to suck energy out
of our bodies. We managed to find a little shade in which to eat by
crawling under a Joshua Tree. But Liz stood up a little too quickly and
one of the spines cut her head. It bled a little and was sore, and now she
doesn't like Joshua Trees, even if they do point the way to the promised
land. Which is a shame since they're the only remotely interesting things in
this desert. We reached our intended camp spot about 5 oÕclock, but could
only coax a litre or two out of the remaining water cache. That
was enough for dinner and once rested, we decided to push on and tackle our
first (intentional) night hike. WeÕd knock off a big climb which
otherwise would have been a rude start to the day. Part way up someone called to us. It may have been Linda,
and I think she was camped nearby but we didn't find her. Instead, using our
tiny Photon II lights, we hiked on until we felt like stopping, got the bags
out, and lay down on the trail. A tough, 26 mile day, and not one I'd
rush to repeat. Yet I suspect tomorrow may be similar. Wed 29 May 3pm Walker Pass Campground Up before 5 am. Shall I say that again? Up, yes, UP before 5 am
and hiking by 5.15 am. Yesterdays hot weather really got to us and,
determined to avoid having to hike at the hottest time of the day, we sprang
into action. Well, sort of.... An hour down the trail we ran into Bushwhacker Mark who is
hiking with two women Flutterby (Monica) and Fancy (Nancy). Mark seems rather
fond of Flutterby, but perhaps I'm imagining things. We aÕÕ chatted,
then hiked on, enjoying the cool of the morning which only lasted until 8
oÕclock. Fortunately, the trail was mainly downhill to Walker Pass
campground. The other three decided to hitch to Onyx while we slept under a
tree. Linda, John, Lee & Anne all showed up, then Andy and his
Rotweiller dog climbed out of a car. TheyÕd hitched here, and the dog
clearly didnÕt like the heat. We know how it feels. 8.30pm Morris-Jenkins Saddle Drama on the PCT. We finally left the little campground, hiked
up to the pass, and there were five Sheriff vehicles. It seems there's
a hiker "20ml out who is having problems", said the Sheriff.
"Is he injured", we asked? "No, just run out of steam".
Dehydrated, we assume. While we hiked on, they shut the road over the pass
and a helicopter landed, picked someone up and flew off again. We saw no
more. Tonight we're back where we like it best, on a saddle, high on
the ridge between several fine, large mountains and once again we're camped
under the stars. Oh, we saw bear tracks on the trail this morning, big ones, so
weÕve stuffed everything into our only Ursack (an Ursack ultra is coming to
K.Meadows) and lashed it to a tree. John is behind us, Lee & Anne ahead,
so if a bear does walk along the trail, heÕll get them first! Thur 30 May +7,000ft climb out of Canebrake Rd Difficult to say exactly where we are on this last climb of the
day because we did much of it in the dark. We astonished ourselves by being awake at 4.30 and hiking by
5.06. Even so we still found ourselves with a huge climb during the
hottest part of the day. By 5.30 pm, when we reached Canebreak Rd, I
was utterly dehydrated. I actually felt a little faint, but cold stream
water, drunk immediately through our filter bottle, was wonderful and I
recovered in minutes. Today we hiked with Linda, and spent more time
chatting with Lee and Anne. We all agreed, the section North of
Tehachapi/Mojave is the toughest so far. Fri 31 May 12.30pm Kennedy Meadows We're a quarter of the way to Canada! Today looked and
felt like the Sierra, and I really have missed these superb mountains. We
crossed a saddle, then after a long descent to the South Fork Kern River, we
walked through meadows to reach Kennedy and a reception committee. John & Julie (Puget & LE) Artie & Connie and folks
we haven't yet seen. Liz was a bit phased by all the people, and is
feeling very anti-social, but I rather like it. However, 2 boxes, one
from Glen and one we sent from Agua Dulce, have not shown up. More mail will
arrive tomorrow, and if our boxes arenÕt with it, we may have to wait until
Monday. Sat, Sun 1 & 2 June Kennedy Meadows We had a lie in today. Sheer luxury. Coffee bags, muffins...
wonderful. Then a 2ml hike into the store and, joy of joys, all our boxes are
here. Like everyone else, we spent the day at the store, sorting food
and equipment... it's amazing how long this takes. It was so sad to drop my first pair of Merrell Exotech shoes
into the bin. I actually saluted them, they have done such sterling service.
I photographed them extensively, including all the points in the heel cups
and on the sole where they have worn down, then said my goodbyes. On Saturday night, a group of us (not Liz) went out for a meal
at a resort called Grumpy Bear, which was OK, then came back to the store and
enjoyed the truly surreal experience of watching a movie in a small open air
auditorium - Meet The Parents. Then the 2ml road hike back to the Tarptent. There's a curious atmosphere at these layover places. People
want to relax and recuperate, but at the same time they're aware of the
ticking clock of the trail. Everyone talks of this quasi-mythical "big
group" just behind, "the wave" they call it, that for some
reason we all feel we have to stay ahead of. It drives us
forward. Bushwhacker Mark reckons it was the same on the AT, but
pointed out, the wave never actually appeared. Liz is determined not to get caught up by this "gotta keep
going" mentality, and insists on staying put in places to relax and rest
her feet. I find it much more difficult. When I see people who were behind us
packing up and leaving I feel we ought to be going too. Does that sound daft?
I just donÕt know whats going to happen and I feel happier with time in
hand. But I'm glad she's here to keep me on a even keel or I'd be a
hiking fool! Look at the schedule Simon - you're ten days ahead! The next section is as long as you want to make it. It
includes an optional side trip to climb Mt Whitney, at 14,494ft the highest
point in the lower 48 states. The towns are on the East side of the great
mountain chain which includes Whitney (named after Josiah Dwight Whitney the
respected chief of the California State Geological Survey who lived
1819-1896). Not, as I have heard said, Whitney Houston! The section includes
high passes over 13,000ft, so snow travel is inevitable. And we enter serious
bear country. Hanging food is now not allowed as bears have worked out
how to get it. Heavy metal or plastic canisters should be carried
to protect food from bears, and to protect bears from the damage caused by
eating human food. But few thru-hikers seem to bother with these heavy
canisters, and like the majority, weÕre going without. WeÕll put our
food into an Ursack ultra, a bag made form the same stuff as bullet proof
vests, strap it to a tree and be ready to defend it if a bear appears.
We risk a fine, but IÕm sure weÕll survive. Some folk hike 3-4 days and go out East to the town of Lone Pine
over either Trail Pass or Cottonwood Pass. Others take 10+ days of food, a
staggering weight considering the elevation gain involved, and hike 171 miles
to Vermilion Valley Resort. We'll do something between these extremes.
WeÕll hike to Whitney in 3.5 days, climb it for Liz's benefit (IÕve already
done it at the end of the JMT), and then walk another two days out to the
town of Independence, crossing the Kersarge Pass. It's meant to be
tough but spectacular. The food shop there is temporarily shut, but we
have sent a re-supply box there and IÕve asked Glen to mail one or two more
items. We've switched out of running shoes and into our Kayland Plume
boots, which are light and deal well with snow, and we have one Cassin Ghost
ultralight ice axe, just in case Forester Pass is tricky. It seems
strange, sitting in a warm valley at 6,000ft preparing for snow travel at
10,000ft+, but that's the joy of this trail. |
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