Month: October 2023

Start: 2503

Stop: 2523.7

Today’s miles: 20.7

Total PCT miles: 2238.8

I didn’t sleep that great, but I feel like I expected that, so I wasn’t too upset when my alarm went off and I knew I had to get up. Marquis and I packed and left the campground early enough to be walking up to the Red Kettle Cafe just as they were opening at 7am.

We ordered breakfast (a breakfast quesadilla, another first for me) and a ton of coffee. Naturally it was wonderful. We organized our stuff outside, repacking to make our food from last night fit better, since we didn’t want to make that much racket at 6:15am at the campground.

We walked to the road the trail crosses and stuck our thumbs out, just before 8am.. and literally got a ride within 20 seconds. Ginger may have been the very first car to pass us, actually-it was that quick. She joked that she wanted to get her good deed of the day knocked out early! Ha! I really enjoyed the hell out of her. She made a pit stop by her house then drove us to a gas station to get fresh water.

Before we knew it, we were back at the trailhead and I was shoving my feet in my shoes wishing we were back in Idyllwild taking a zero with R&R. The views were pretty, and the overgrowth wasn’t horrible, but it got hot quick and the sun was blaring down on us. I ended up pulling out my umbrella to hide from the big ball in the sky. It was rough. But, Marquis kept me laughing-I’m not sure how this man does this.. he makes me actually laugh out loud with tears in my eyes when I am 100% miserable and ready to call the rest of this thing off. It’s impressive.

After 15 miles of baking in the sun-or hiking-whatever-we got to a cistern with our water in it. I feel bad normally, because these things are creepy as hell, and usually I can’t actually reach the water. This one, sadly for me, was actually high enough that I could reach the water. It was, however, covered with bees absolutely everywhere. Marquis is no more a fan of stinging things as I am.. so, I decided I’d take one for the team and show him that I can contribute to this duo Lolol

I filled us both a liter of water to filter, and we got the hell out of there before this situation turned into a “My Girl” situation. Marquis didn’t get my movie reference, and obviously my heart broke some. Especially since he wears glasses. Heartbreak hotel. Anyway-with water filtered and the bees at bay, we hiked on.

A few miles later, we got to the crossing with the next water source. We had to hike 1/4 of a mile DOWNHILL to get to it.. aka: we’d have to hike a 1/4 mile UPHILL with water to get back to the trail. Dammit. But, the good news was the water tasted fine and it came from a pipe from a cistern that required no reaching into a tank of water with crap floating around in it. Perfect.

While our water filtered, a mother and daughter showed up. We chatted them up, they’re section hiking and the daughter is hilarious.. she completely agreed with every complaint about this desert that I could come up with-so that was validating. We talked so long that when Marquis and I realized the sun was dropping a bit low in the sky, we had to dart out of there. We were planning to still hike up out of this valley to the top of the climb, and then down to a place called “Mike’s Place” that also had water, it was 10 more miles of hiking. Uh oh.

We accepted that we’d be night hiking. Marquis and I agreed we’d stop around 7-7:30 to eat dinner, then keep pushing. As night fell, we were enamored with the sunset. It quickly got pitch black.. and it’s one thing to have overgrown bushes scratch you during the day-it’s another completely for it to be in total darkness with nothing but your headlamp showing you the way. It’s creepy as hell! I was expecting a snake at every step, and completely wigging out.

We pushed until 8pm and stopped for dinner. Sitting on my ground sheet, we made our food and ate and laughed about the ridiculousness of this whole thing. Like how silly? We only sat long enough to make and eat our food, then we packed back up and kept moving. I almost peed myself when Marquis walked into a dangling bush thing that reminded me of a lamppost. Like he smacked right into it and my headlamp illuminated the whole thing. It was phenomenal. He’d probably disagree.

Meh-whatever-we kept going. The trail got more and more overgrown, until at one point I just knew we got off trail. We were literally climbing through branches. So, I pulled my phone out and we realized we were indeed off trail. We navigated through a bushwhack up and over a climb to get back to the actual trail. We followed my little blinky blue light back to the red line of the trail, and just kept hiking. We knew, soon enough, we’d be at the top of this stupid climb and make our way to Mike’s Place.

A bit later, Marquis almost whacked into another bush that looked like the lamppost he hit earlier. I laughed, he didn’t.. we kept hiking. Then, Marquis pulled out his phone and mentions that it’s not updating, because it’s still showing us where we ate dinner. I pull mine out-and it’s suddenly doing the same.. but my phone worked earlier when we were bushwhacking.. AFTER DINNER. Odd.. very odd..

OH MY GOD. Marquis realized that when we got back to the trail when we bushwhacked, we went the wrong way on the trail! We went BACKWARDS! Nooooooooo!! You have GOT to be kidding me! The lamppost I just cackled at like a hyena was actually the exact same one he actually DID walk into earlier! Shit.

As frustrating as it was, we turned around and started hiking in the correct direction. We passed the lamppost for the 3rd time, and I can promise you, neither one of us was amused now. When we hit the thick overgrowth that got us turned around in the first place, I stopped us, pulled out my phone with my GPS and we navigated back to the trail and we actually verified that we continued on in the right direction. Yikes.

We hiked on for maybe another mile before finding an “okay enough” place for us to set up camp. We didn’t want to commit to the rest of the climb uphill to Mike’s Place, since it was already 9:30 and we were beat. Between the overgrown bushes and the gnats and the heat: I’m completely over the desert. Like I say this whole heartedly-I hate this section and if I started with it I probably would have quit or skipped it because it’s beyond miserable. Throw in the possibility of a rattlesnake and I’m DONE. Ugh.

Anyway. We’re set up, we’re pissed. We’re going to sleep. Goodnight y’all. Please have a better day than we did.

Start: 2523.7

Stop: 2545.9

Today’s miles: 21.8

Total PCT miles: 2260.6

Neither Marquis nor myself slept very well last night. The ground was slightly slanted, just enough to make my sleeping pad slide throughout the night. We were still up and on our way around 6:30, immediately getting attacked by the scrubs and branches and bushes were were supposed to get through last night.

We finished the climb and made it to Mike’s Place.. which is a property with a home on it, assumed to be owned by Mike.. and he has a water tank set up for hikers so we can get water in an otherwise dry stretch of trail. I talked with Aunt Kathy while our water filtered, because it’s her birthday! She got the moon flower seeds and card I sent her. I’m really missing home.

We kept hiking and besides being hot and buggy, it was uneventful. By 4:30, we hit the road that takes you into the tiny town of Warner Springs. We walked the road to the gas station, the only thing open, and got some snacks that we really didn’t need. We ate and drank out at a picnic table, then continued walking to the rec center. It meets right back up to the trail, and they let hikers use their WiFi, they have bathrooms with running water, drinking water, picnic tables. We just hung out and cooked dinner there.. both taking complete advantage of the bathrooms.

As the sun set, we got out our headlamps and walked about half a mile to set up camp on the trail, but away from the road. It’s creep here. We had to clear out lots of leaves from the tree above us. And we keep hearing animals crunching around nearby. Marquis’ pack fell over unexpectedly, and while I jumped, he screamed.. we both about died with laughter. Good to know he finds it creepy here too! Haha!

It’s definitely an earplugs kind of night. I have no desire to know what’s moving around out there! Goodnight y’all.

Start: 2545.9

Stop: 2595.5

Today’s miles: 31

Total PCT miles: 2310.2

I think I slept ok, but Marquis and I decided last night to get up before the sun this morning and tackle a long day-a day that ended up being one of my favorite!

We were up, packed, and on the road by 5:30am. And when I say “on the road” I do mean that literally. Instead of hiking on the trail, we decided to do a Create Your Own Adventure Day, and we road-walked. Sometimes, you just need a break from all the bushes and monotony.

We walked, cracked each other up, watched the sunrise, and I mooed at cows as we passed by farm after farm and field after field. It was beautiful. The two lane road started to get more traffic around 7-8am, and we were grateful we left so early to get a head start. The temperatures were perfect, just a slight chill in the air.. I was in Heaven. The break from my legs being attacked and being able to simply walk without an obstacle was sincerely great for my mood.

Mid morning we made it to the town of Santa Ysabel. There were a few bakery spots open so we picked one and went in. I got a spinach “croissant” thing that made me think of the pastry I was obsessed with in Stehekin, Washington. It was definitely not that-but I did like it enough to get another one for the road.

We quickly got back out there and started making our way towards Julian, California. It got hot while walking uphill on a two lane road. However, before too long, we were walking into our second stop of the day: Mom’s Pies.. the location in Wynola. The girl gave us a free slice of pie and a scoop of ice cream when we showed her our PCT permit. Sweet!

We sat in the air conditioning and enjoyed our sweets while our phones charged at a nearby outlet. Once our pies were gone so were we! We were back outside in the blazing sunshine, walking the rest of the way to Julian. I loved that cute little town so so much! We resupplied our food at a little grocery store with few options, then made our way to our 3rd stop of the day- to the other Mom’s Pies location.

This time I got pecan pie with butter pecan ice cream. It was deeeeeelicious! Marquis and I were both so dang full, but I talked him into pizza anyway. I wanted to have some to pack out for lunch tomorrow. So, down to the end of the Main Street we went. I ordered a pizza and we sat outside to wait on it. While we sat, a guy came up to us after noticing our packs and then bought us a beer each! How sweet! We talked and ate and enjoyed a beer with him.. then sadly had to call it quits because we still had to walk all the way back to the trail.

With even more roadwalking, we did eventually make it to the trailhead. We got water from a nasty cistern coated with neon green gunk-thankfully the water came out of a spigot below the green goo.. so it came out clear and not chunky at all. Whew. So, with fresh water, we walked to the first campsite on the trail and set up shop. The sun was mostly gone, making the walk to the camp a pretty one.. with those burnt oranges and neon pinks glowing before the darkness set in.

Since we already ate dinner, we just unpacked and huddled into our quilts. It’s windy, but nothing like the other night when we thought we’d get blown off the mountain. Ah, so 4 food stops and a whole lot of asphalt walking, laughs, and fun-I’d day today was a blast. I’m so full I can’t breathe! Ha! Goodnight, y’all!