PCT

Stats

Start: Idyllwild – Mile 179.4
End: Idyllwild – Mile 179.4
Elevation Max: 5,358
Elevation Min: 5,358
Elevation Change: 0 up & 0 down
Average Heart Rate: no walking
Walking Time: 0 hrs 0 minutes

The Zero Day Haiku

A town filled with trees. Jacinto’s shadow looming. Shared meal to refuel.

Zero day in Idyllwild. It felt weird to wake up in a bed. After a few hours I was motivated enough to lay out all my gear and do a shakedown. This is when I look at every single thing in my pack and ask have I used this, do I need this. The goal is to get rid of anything not necessary.

I caught up on blogs at a coffee shop. Then went to the store to resupply and grabbed a burger. And headed to claim a floor spot at my friend’s Airbnb.

We made a group pasta dinner and I was surprised to get a couch spot! I’m ready to summit Mount San Jacinto tomorrow morning. The sixth most prominent peak in the contiguous 48 states.

Stats

Start: Mountain tent site – Mile 176.4
End: Idyllwild – Mile 179.4
Elevation Max: 8,536
Elevation Min: 6,418
Elevation Change: 613 up & 2,429 down
Average Heart Rate: 97
Walking Time: 1 hrs 51 minutes

The Walk

I woke up every few hours last night. The wind was ripping through the mountains But sleeping on top of the mountain at 8,300 feet hit different. You can’t just get to this spot. You have to earn it. Part of me was annoyed by the wind when I laid in my tent. But a bigger part was in awe.

On top of a flippin mountain! How badass is that? I was rocking it! I woke up a final time and was grateful to see the sun peaking up. I decided to pack up camp and get started on the hike to Idyllwild. Only 3 miles to go. With one 500 foot climb.

After packing up I saw Grahm moving around in his tent. He rolled into the camp site late last night. I decided to wait for him to pack up. I climbed up a boulder and had breakfast under the sunrise. I stood and spread my arms wide, soaking in all the beauty.

Grahm packed up and joined me on the rock. I brushed my teeth then we started the day. The trail was thick with snow. Thankfully the cold night hardened the snow so my feet didn’t sink in (no postholing) 🙂

Our three mile downhill trek through pine forest was beautiful. Then we took a side trail off the PCT to Idyllwild. I called Grumpy, a local trail angel, and he agreed to meet us at the trail head parking lot 2.5 miles away. This saved us 2.5 miles of road walk to town. Heck of a start to the day.

The final stretch was highlighted by a cloud shelf down under the mountains. We took a few minutes on our relaxed walk to sit and listen. I reflected on the journey from Julian to Idyllwild. It was an amazing stretch, filled with new people and experiences. I couldn’t be more excited for the trail ahead.

But first shower, food, and a real bed! At 10:00 Grumpy dropped us off at MaMas house, a breakfast cafe. And I had a California breakfast burrito. Amazing.

The rest of the day was spent chilling with hikers at the library, laundromat, market, and then relaxing in my airbnb. I wanted one night with a real bed and room. Tomorrow I’ll sleep on the floor with a bunch of other hikers at a shared Airbnb.

I was tired and my body appreciated the break. A Nero (3 mile day) followed by a zero day tomorrow is more preventative than anything. I haven’t taken any ibuprofen yet… knock on wood.

Stats

Start: Tent site past Paradise Valley Cafe – Mile 155.9
End: Mountain tent site – Mile 176.4
Elevation Max: 8,305
Elevation Min: 5,253
Elevation Change: 6,053 up & 3,042 down
Average Heart Rate: 136
Walking Time: 9 hrs 23 minutes

The Walk

Another night cowboy camping. Another gentle wake up from sun rays peaking through the leaves. My sleeping bag was cozy. It was cool outside but not cold. Probably around 40 degrees. I laid on my back looking up at the sky. I wasn’t in a hurry this morning. I heard bustling in the camp, but didn’t mind.

Today I want to get a few miles from Idyllwild. The elevation change and altitude will make this the hardest day yet. I plan to stop after 14.6 or 20.5 miles, depending how I feel. 14.6 is the first stop for water.

I wasn’t worried about the climbs. I felt fresh after spending 6 hours yesterday posted up at the Paradise Valley Cafe. My body was fueled up on town food and I felt excited to see what’s next.

As I slowly moved around camp and changed into hiking clothes the crew filtered by. I chatted with them for a few minutes. Most planned to go to a camp spot between 19 and at 20.5 miles. It was nice to know what everyone else planned and I finished packing up my gear.

I was off at 7:30. The trail quickly climbed out of the forest and I paused to take in the vast mountain landscapes . The first climb wasn’t bad and after I entered my favorite surroundings – land of the pine forest. But these were HUGE pine cones. A girl I was hiking with even said her dad took one home. Ha.

The first 10 miles went by quickly. The weather was cool and I was in my element. Next up was one final 1.2k climb over 4 miles to the first water source. I took a shot of Energy GU and focused on flying up the trail. The plan was great until I slowed down enough to check my phone with about 400 feet of climbing left. I was off trail. Then I made a second mistake. Instead of checking my location and backtracking to the trail, I decide to climb up some rocks to the next ridge and see if I could find the trail.

I didn’t really want to go back down. I did this for 10 minutes. Then I faced the music. I wasn’t going to find the trail easily. So I checked my map and saw I was 100 yards off trail. This wasn’t too bad. I spent 5 minutes searching for a way back to trail but thick brush blocked th way. The closest I could get was 50 yards. So I bushwhacked in the final stretch. Lots of crawling through thick dead bushes. I’ll never do that again. It took at least 30 minutes. I would have saved a ton of time and energy backtracking to trail instead of making a new trail.

When I finally got to the water source a group of 10 hikers were there hanging out (Remember water attracts hikers). My stomach wanted lunch, but I needed to trek down to get water first. The water was about .7 miles and 500 feet down a steep trail. Getting there wasn’t bad, but coming back up was a different story. I filled up 3 liters and climbed back up. Also there was a nest of honeybees right by the source! Thankfully were friendly.

I took a 30 minute rest highlighted by a tuna wrap and pushed on. The spot, Apache springs, was windy with no cover for a tent or cowboy camping. With possible wind gusts of 40-50 tonight I kept moving. I walked through a few rolling miles with steep dropoffs from the narrow trail. I was thankful that the trail wasn’t icy and I didn’t need to use my microspikes. But I was glad to have them.

As evening closed in, I had a final climb to camp. 1.5k climb over 4 miles. I relaxed and climbed up. It felt like training for ninja warrior. The area burned a few years ago and there must have been 50 downed trees across the trail. The only options were over, under or around. I learned trees with no bark are slick!

The last mile of trail was snowy, but not too steep. My trail shoes worked fine. I was wiped when I rolled into camp. I chatted with a few hikers over dinner and went straight for my tent. It was a windy, chilly night. Around 20 degrees. I was thankful for my 10 degree bag.

I laid in bed listening to the wind howl through the mountain tops. It kept me up, but I wasn’t mad. I was sleeping over 8k feet on top of a mountain. How many times will I ever have this chance! I listened to an audiobook and was thankful for a short, 5 mile walk into Idyllwild tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be my first bed on trail. Then a zero the following day. Town food, rest, and relaxing!

Stats

Start: Concrete Cistern – Mile 139.5
End: Tent site past Paradise Valley Cafe – Mile 155.9
Elevation Max: 5.274
Elevation Min: 3,480
Elevation Change: 3.295 up & 1,712 down
Average Heart Rate: 129
Walking Time: 5 hrs 30 minutes

The Walk

I woke up at 6:00 on the concrete slab. Breakfast was on my mind. I wanted to get to Paradise valley cafe before the menu changed to lunch.

A few others at camp were stirring around and the sun was peaking up. I packed up my gear and stood with my pack on for a few minutes. Taking in the sunrise. tssSSS kr-POP. I was brought back a reality by a can of soda. Someone hiked 3 days with a Pepsi for an early morning treat.

That was my sign. I walked to the trail and started the last leg of my hike to paradise valley cafe. It was only 12 miles away. The next water source was 6 miles away. The concrete cistern water had a really odd after taste. It was fine to drink. But I didn’t want to drink more than I needed.

I heard a hiker say 5 miles without water wasn’t a big deal yesterday. So I decided this morning would be a good time to test the theory. For science!

I didn’t drink any water in the morning. The first few miles wasn’t bad. At mile two I noticed my throat was a bit dry. At mile 4 water was the only thing I could think about. Physically I felt fine.

My mental was struggling. All I thought about was water and my dead battery. It’s interesting how basic needs overtake my thoughts when they aren’t met. Out here it’s food, water, battery life, camp site. If those are okay then life is good. You can sleep anywhere. Your bed literally moves. But if one is questionable my mind won’t be still. Maybe a survival tactic.

I spent all 6 miles thinking about how thirsty I was. Or what else I could have done to have better water. I should have carried another liter from Mike’s place. Why would I expect a stagnant pool to taste good? Why did I use 1/3 a liter of good water to make my mac and cheese. I should have used the shitty water.

But I pressed on. Around mile 5 I was getting close. I focused more on the the final mile than the thirst. I eventually got to Mary’s and saw a 500 gallon take. It was a relief. I bet it would have been worse if I didn’t have water readily available.

I filled up then met a few hikers from Chicago while I took a break. I was back on trail pretty quickly. 6 more miles until a breakfast. My 2.5 day 77 mile goal was in reach. The scenery was beautiful and I kept hiking. I passed quite a few hikers and everyone was talking about getting food at the cafe.

I got to the road and saw the cafe was one mile away. I was excited to see a busy highway. I started walking toward the cafe with my thumb out, but nobody slowed down. I guess hitching in a busy town is different than the tiny towns. On this road everyone had somewhere to be. With a third of a mile left I gave up and stopped asking for a hitch.

There were at least 30 hikers at the cafe. The outdoor patio was packed. I sat with a group of hikers and ordered biscuits and gravy, orange juice, a Dr Pepper, and a coffee. It was perfect. I also washed my hands. A nice luxury.

I relaxed at the table for the rest of the day and got a milk shake and burger later on. I also picked up my microspikes in case of snow on Mount San Jacinto. At 3 the store closed but we didn’t want to start yet. So we loitered outside waiting for the heat to pass. We had already hiked 12 miles with 2 bonus miles to the cafe. We only wanted to do another 3. And didn’t need to rush and hike in the heat.

We filled up water and hiked back to the trail. Didn’t even try to hitch. At the trail we had a bit of trail magic! I was stuffed but grabbed some starbursts, cheetos, and pop tarts.

We casually walked back to camp and I booked an Airbnb for an upcoming rest day in Idyllwild. Real bed 🙂 The walk was leisurely and it felt nice not to be pushing miles. I set up camp and had mashed potatoes for dinner. Then settled in.

Tomorrow would be a big day. Either 13.6 or 20 miles with a lot of elevation, downed trees, and possibly snow. Either way, I expect to spend one more night on the mountain before taking a day or two rest in Idyllwild.

Stats

Start: 0.5 before Warner Springs – Mile 109
End: Concrete Cistern – Mile 139.5
Elevation Max: 5,549
Elevation Min: 2,951
Elevation Change: 4,444 up & 3,862 down
Average Heart Rate: 129
Walking Time: 9 hrs 20 minutes

The Walk

The sun woke me up for the first time of my backpacking life. It was 6:30 and I felt great. I crashed hard after the 32 mile day. I was surprised my body felt so fresh in the morning. Only my toes were sore when I curled them. So I can’t complain.

I slept in a dried out river bed and the cool, fresh morning air signaled a new day to experience. The group I hiked with had resupply packages at the Warner springs post office. It didn’t open until 9, so they would have a slow morning.

I planned 28 miles today. After I zipped up my pack I noticed something bright glowing. I couldn’t figure out what it was. My headlamp locks so it can’t turn on accidentally. I pulled out my electronics bag and my power bank flashlight was on! What the hell. I didn’t even know it had a flashlight. It went from 85% (4 phone charges) to 0%. My phone was at 66%. Which meant I had to use low power mode and airplane mode all day.

I packed up my gear and took the first step of another long day. The final half mile to Warner springs was peaceful and followed a creek. I didn’t plan to stop at Warner springs. The post office and store was a mile off trail. But the fire station was on trail. So I filled up my water, rinsed extra socks, and drank a liter.

Then I headed out. The next water was in 6 miles. The morning walk meandered through pasture and wooded areas. I was surprised how quickly it got hot. I didn’t wear my thermal shirt for more than an hour.

In the late morning the sun kept warming up. I pushed through a 1.6k climb over the next 6 miles. There were beautiful Mountain views. After the climb I had 6 more miles to the next water at a water tank called Mike’s place. The trail narrowed on the six miles with bushes squeezing the trail.

I got to Mike’s place about 1pm and found 20 hikers hanging out under the shade. A topic of conversation was the sketchy upcoming water sources. I planned on 8 miles to a stream, but decided to go 12 miles to a cistern. After a 1.5 hour break I headed out for the next 12 miles.

30.5 miles was more than I planned, but a few other people were making the trek. So I decided to go for it. On the bright side I’d have fewer morning miles to Paradise Valley Cafe! Only 12.

The whole section was picture worthy. Every time I loooked up from trail I was amazed. Ran into the 3 guys who were at Mike’s place. Chef, Jack rabbit, and Grahm. I hiked with them the last few miles to the concerts cistern.

The cistern was a rain catcher in the desert that was caving in. I immediately grabbed my bag of chips and started Mac and cheese for dinner. I was starving. I couldn’t think of anything but food for the last 2 miles. I think my body was telling me something.

We chatted over dinner. Then set up camp. There weren’t any good spots around, so I set up my spot on the concrete. My body didn’t want to go any further. My micro goal of Julian to Paradise Valley Cafe by morning of day 3 is in reach (74.5 miles)!

I plan to wake up at sunrise and head out to the cafe for breakfast and lunch. And to recharge my battery pack! I’ll need a charge to make the trek to Idyllwild.

Stats

Start: Julian – Mile 77.3
End: Tent site by Warner Springs – Mile 109
Elevation Max: 4,332
Elevation Min: 2,251
Elevation Change: 4,144 up & 3,312 down
Average Heart Rate: 128
Walking Time: 9 hrs 8 minutes

The Walk

I woke up at the RV park surrounded by friends. I felt fortunate to be out there and have no injuries after the car wreck. There are no absolutes or guarantees in life. Anything can change in an instant. And I’m here for the journey. Whereever it takes me.

At 5:30 I got up and snuck in another shower. I didn’t feel dirty, but you have to take advantage of hot water at every opportunity on trail! At 6 I packed up and walked to the road. I needed to hitch 3 miles to the trailhead.

I was focused. Ready to push a 30 mile day. I only had to wait 3 minutes. A red truck pulled over about 30 yards in front of me. I jogged to catch up and thanked them for stopping! The road ends in a T at scissors crossing, so they had to be going that way.

I hopped in and chatted with Jorge and Amelio. They were headed 70 miles to San Diego to landscape a new development. Quite a long drive, but there isn’t much around this area. They were kind and curious about the trail. It’s nice that everyone knows Chicago or someone who has been in the city. An easy conversation starter on hitches!

I headed straight on trail and got to climbing. The day started with a 700 foot climb up switchbacks. I was thankful to start early, because this was the second hottest day of the 4-day heat wave. With expected temps above 80 degrees. That means no breaks until afternoon when the sun gets hot!

I started the switchback climbs and felt great. I had energy and excitement for my new goal. Could I really push 30 miles on day 5? I ate granola bars as I went and enjoyed the hike. The views of mountains as I climbed kept getting better. I stopped often to snap pictures or to look at the views.

The sun stayed away from the climb. The grade wasn’t very steep and total elevation was around 800 feet. It wasn’t as bad as the climbs on the Arizona Trail. I actually was flying. Around 3.3 mph. I cruised all morning long.

I came up to two hikers on trail and was suprised to see malt man and pizza girl who I had dinner with the first night. I didn’t expect to ever see them again. We chatted for a bit and I headed on. Happy to see them doing well and enjoying themselves. They wanted to see the desert section so skipped ahead a bit.

Water is scarce in the 30 mile section and hikers rely on caches from trail angels. 14 miles in, around noon, I got to a huge water cache. There must have been 500 gallons from trail angles stacked on pallets. It was perfect.

I was suprised to see another familiar face at the water. A guy with a stupidly cute trail dog named Daisy was laying under a tarp. We shared a shuttle from San Diego to the trailhead. I stopped by to chat and laid in the shade 30 minutes before continuing on. I had a good start and was curious how the rest of the day would go.

The trail followed a ridge and the desert views really opened up. All afternoon was beautiful and windy. The wind was a welcome relief from the hot sun. I had already learned my lesson not to forget sunscreen on my hands and nose, so the sun didn’t bother me.

I felt focused and strong. I hiked all afternoon and made it to a resupply store at 3pm. I ate tuna and avocado for lunch while waiting for the store shuttle. Sadly, I missed trail magic by an hour. A few girls who had hiked the PCT made sausage and eggs and painted everyone’s finger nails. It would have been a fun one!

At the store I grabbed a microwave pizza and some bars / snacks to supplement my food. It was perfect break and recharge. I was tight on food without the extra snacks and the prices weren’t bad. With pizza in my belly, the 30 mile push felt possible.

I kept hiking and the views kept improving. The trail wasn’t rocky and I had no complaints. Just kept pushing on. As I turned a corner I was my first snake! It didn’t have a rattle, but I still wanted to avoid it. I tapped my trekking pole on the ground, but I it wouldn’t move. After a 5 minute standoff I hopped off trail a few feet and walked around.

Around 6 I caught up to Fabian and a creek and we hiked together for a few miles. A group of us decided to eat dinner, relax and watch the sunset at eagle rock. It was a cool experience. We were in a meadow for the first time! Then we night hiked 2 more miles. I made it to camp at 9:00. All the way to from scissors crossing to Warner springs. Almost 32 miles.

At night I felt great. I think I could have hiked more. It was weird to hike at night. On one hand I would have loved to see the scenery, filled with tall trees and a running stream. But it was a cool experience to walk by headlamp hearing the frogs croaks, the rolling stream, and huge shadowy tree branches hanging over the trail.

I got to camp and quickly got out my gear. There were 4-5 people already set up and out for the night. Tomorrow I want to push one more 30 mile day. Breakfast + Lunch at Paradise cafe and a relaxed day is possible. That will be welcome break before pushing up the first mountain range and seeing snow. Onward to Idyllwild!

Stats

Start: Water Tank – Mile 68.4
End: Julian – Mile 77.3
Elevation Max: 3,636
Elevation Min: 2,248
Elevation Change: 717 up & 2,016 down
Average Heart Rate: 116
Walking Time: 2 hrs 45 minutes

The Walk

I woke up to the sound of someone fumbling with the water spigot at 4 am. Then at 5 am to the rustling of nearby hikers packing up their gear. I swear it took the couple section hiking an hour to pack up camp in the dark! They must really not like walking in the sun. Ha.

But I can’t complain. I slept great. And have less than 10 miles into Julian. I look forward to a light day and hanging out with hikers I met yesterday. I haven’t met anyone who hikes the same speed as me, but everyone will get to Julian tomorrow and relax in the afternoon.

My body will appreciate a short day! I got started at 6 am. 5 miles in I took a break with 10 hikers at a big shady rock and had a snack. I didn’t care to eat a ton or break too long because I was so close to town.

The trail was smooth and the miles came easy. Mostly downhill and not too rocky. I felt great all morning. No odd aches and pains. The hot shower and town food was motivating!!

At 10 I got to Scissors Crossing, the trail head where you leave the PCT to go into Julian for a hotel or the RV park for camping. A big group of people were headed into Julian for the day and to take a zero the next day.

I decided to go to the RV park. It was only 10 bucks and had unlimited showers and coin laundry. So I walked to the road and busted out my hitching thumb! The first car to drive by was a big RV. He slowed down and said “I’m headed to the RV park, but I can pick you up later and take you to Julian”. Perfect. I was headed to the same RV park! I hopped in. He met up with a friend of his hiking the PCT last night.

As I was leaving he tossed me an IPA for the road. I don’t drink often, but I’m not one to turn down trail magic. First up was laundry, cleaning up, and finding a tent spot. I’ve had some crappy trail showers, but this was top notch. Even soap and shampoo in the hiker box.

I finished up laundry and charging my things. Then headed to Julian with Fabian. We got a hitch part way back to Scissors Crossing. A few minutes later a trail angel picked us up for our second hitch. Or so we thought…

On the way a car coming the other way was turning left. But instead of continuing, they froze halfway in our lane, right in front of us. Our car swerved out of the way to dodge a full head on collision. But not fast enough. I heard a loud crash and the smell of airbags as my leg jammed into the seat. The driver and 2 other hikers were looking around in a daze checking for injuries. I did a quick head to toe and was releived everything worked like normal.

We all got out of the car and walked around the scene. Fortunately everyone involved was okay, I came out with a bruise and scratch on my leg but it could have been a lot worse. All the sudden 2 firefighters showed up. Apparently the crash happened right in front of their fire station. They brought us water as we waited for the police and tow trucks.

The whole ordeal took a few hours. When the cars were towed and insurance exchanged, the highway patrol gave us a ride into Julian. What a wild start to the day. It was my first car crash and I was thankful nobody was hurt. That could have been an early end to the PCT.

The highway patrol dropped us off at the town restaurant around 2. My day was way behind schedule. But at least chores were finished. I got a pizza and planned my next section of hiking. Then went to the small market for a resupply.

All of the people I hiked with were taking a zero tomorrow, but I wasn’t feeling it. I was ready to get out of Julian and I decided to push ahead. To get my mind off the crash I set a challenging goal. Could I get breakfast at the Paradise cafe on the third morning of hiking? That would take ~60 miles over two days and 14 the morning of the third day.

This would set me up to go 102 miles from Julian to Idyllwild in just 4 days. The final 10 miles of the trip would be snowy and at elevation > 8k feet. I’m excited to push myself and see what happens. My body feels up for it and my mind is clear. Let’s see how good my trail legs really are.

After resupply I hitched to the RV park And chatted with hikers I’d seen in trail or camped with the past few nights. It was fun to chat and shared a mango and laughs. They were staying another full day and night, but I’ll probably see a few later in the hike.

It was another perfect night to cowboy camp. I need to get an early start tomorrow to push a high 20 or 30 mile day.

Stats

Start: Tent site after Mount Laguna – Mile 45.4
End: Water Tank – Mile 68.4
Elevation Max: 5.950
Elevation Min: 3,747
Elevation Change: 2,221 up & 4,027 down
Average Heart Rate: 123
Walking Time: 7 hrs 2 minutes

The Walk

I didn’t sleep very well. The wind was blowing all night. The tent wall by my head constantly flapped in the wind. Also one tent state blew out of the sandy ground twice.

The first time I put a rock on top of the stake to brace. The second time at 2am I put a massive rock on top and after a quick google search I learned to push stake directly in instead of angled. It never moved again, and I learned a lesson. Big rocks are friends on windy nights!

I fell asleep around 11:30 and woke up every few hours until 5:45 when I gave up and packed up camp. Bodega and Steve were rustling around but not ready to head out. So I popped on my headlight and started walking. Excited to watch the world wake up around me.

I didn’t need to use the headlight for long. The sun was bright enough at 6:15. My body felt great. I was bouncing right back where I left off from Arizona. Low 20 mile days are a comfortable amount and give me some downtime at camp. I’d rather chat to some hikers than walk until dark.

The majority of people start the PCT at 10-15 mile days for the first few weeks. I considered slowing down to walk with the same people, but I decide to walk ahead and find out what the trail brings. I expect to meet a few people in the second hundred miles who are also moving at 20-25 mile days.

The early morning sun made its presence known. My warm skin was a sign of the warm day to come. The temp jumped about 15 degrees straight away. And I hiked 6 miles through a surprisingly green desert to the first water source.

The trail slowly climbed up a ridge to Kwaaymii Point, which looked over a mountain range. It was beautiful. All morning I was getting closer and closer. This was a perfect view. It was vast. On the climb I listened to a chapter on gratitude in Berne Brown’s book “Atlas of the Heart”. A fitting, tranquil moment.

I truly felt at peace and an aura of tranquility out there. I spoke several things that I was grateful for to no one in particular. And kept moving. The hike was exposed and hot but bearable. I hiked on to the next water source and was surprised by 30 people sitting in the sun.

I guess water attracts hikers in desert sections! One guy named Ducky was getting his hair cut. The girl who was cutting said it was her third hair cut on trail… and third in her life.

Ron and I planned to relax for a few hours to wait out the heat of the day and give our bodies a rest. But there was no shade at the water. We were absolutely frying in the sun. A few hikers tried to set up a tarp for shade, but it kept blowing over.

After filing up my water and downing a few handfuls of gardettos I headed back on trail. I wanted a shady spot to relax. The trail continued to wind around the mountains. I felt pretty good, but tired. 4 miles later we saw a hiker sitting along trail in a sliver of shade. We chatted and relaxed for a few hours. Waiting for the heat of the day to pass. I headed out to finish the 5.5 miles to the next water source and camp site.

My body felt the strongest I’ve been all trip. The miles flew by. I chatted with a few hikers as I passed and made it to camp at 5. I was starving so I found a rock to sit on and made dinner before setting up camp.

Kara, Ron, and another couple ended up camping in the same spot. It was a beautiful night with a great view. We all cowboy camped under the stars. It is my first night cowboy camping. I love looking up at the stars and feeling a cool desert breeze as the night grows still.

In 9 miles I’ll be in Julian, the first trail town. I didn’t plan ahead, but heard the RV park had $10 sites for hikers. Its only been 3 days, but I’m excited for laundry, a shower, and a few town meals. I should be in town by 10 or 11 depending how long the hitch takes.

Stats

Start: Lake Morena – Mile 20
End: Tent site past Mount Laguna – Mile 45.4
Elevation Max: 6,045
Elevation Min: 3,056
Elevation Change: 4,828 up & 1,957 down
Average Heart Rate: 132
Walking Time: 7 hrs 54 minutes

The Walk

I woke at 5 to a quiet camp site. Not even the turkeys were making noise. There were 20-30 hikers in tents but nobody was moving. I laid in bed until 5:30 and decided it was time to get up.

I packed up camp as quietly as possible. Kind of a shame I may not run into some of these people again. Especially the section hikers Malt Man and Pizza Girl. But there are a ton of amazing people on trail. Almost all show an internal locus of control and optimistic mindset. I think you need these to push through challenges of the trail.

I headed to the bathroom for sink laundry and noticed a boil order on all camp water. I’m not sure if my water filter covers the boil order or not. So I decided to drink as little of my water as possible. The next water source was only 6 miles away.

I threw on my pack and headed out. After 30 minutes of hiking by headlamp the sun woke up. It also woke up turkeys. They were really vocal. Yelling back and forth.

The morning miles were smooth so I made it to the next campground without needing water. But I was thirsty. It had a bathroom and water spiquot! Woo! Also it was a girls birthday who was packing up. She decided to walk a few miles this year in celebration. Ha.

After a few desert miles of mild incline the clouds left and sun came out. I welcomed the warmth for myself and for my damp tent. It was wet from condensation off the lake. Usually I try to avoid sleeping in valleys or close to a big body of water. Because everything gets damp. It’s like sleeping in a cloud.

10 miles in I came across a colorful van and black lab. A guy, Cheshire Cat, and his lab, Stella, were hanging out. He offered fruit, and my mouth watered. Apples, pears, oranges, or pineapple. I picked a pear and it was glorious. A perfect snack and break at 10 miles. The second trail dog was fun and we played fetch for 30 minutes.

I asked if he was out hiking. He said. “I live here. And yesterday I lived down there. Tonight I may live over that way.”

He hiked 1,100 miles of the PCT last year. He said. “It’s not how much you’ve done. But how much of your life you spend in trail afterwards.” His mindset and lifestyle suprised me. But he was more content than most of the people I’ve met in my life. There is something magic – something society is missing that anyone can find out here. I don’t have my finger on it yet. But I know it’s out here. And I look forward to sharing it with you.

The trail opened up on a ridge with a vast desert view. The ridge was sun exposed. And the temp shot into the mid 80s. It didn’t feel terribly hot and there were enough water sources along the way. But I knew it was a taste of days to come in the Southern California desert.

Eventually the ridge climbed around 5,500 feet and desert transformed into a pine forest. It felt amazing to be back in a cool forest with lots of trees! I enjoy the desert, but walking through a dense forest hits different. I hiked for a few more miles and took a break at the last water source before Mount Laguna. Only 4 miles to the next restaurant 🙂

This was my first long break. My body felt good for walking 18 miles and I ate tuna and avocado for lunch. I also took time to dry out my gear in the sun.

I chatted with a few hikers who passed by, then headed to Mount Laguna. I met up with Ron just before town and we chatted about what to order at the restaurant. BUT it was closed on Monday😞. Very sad. I was looking forward to a salad and maybe pizza.

We walked through town to a small market and they microwaved a hot pocket. At least I got a hot meal and resupply.

The campground was closed, so we had to keep waking. I was tired and stopped at the first clear spot, 3 miles ahead. Just in time to catch the sunset over a vast desert view.

A heat wave is moving in so the next 3-4 days are going to be hot! Hopefully I’ll get another good nights sleep.

Stats

Start: Southern Terminus – Mile 0
End: Lake Morena – Mile 20
Elevation Max: 3,509
Elevation Min: 2,293
Elevation Change: 4,207 up & 3,022 down
Average Heart Rate: 122
Walking Time: 6 hrs 10 minutes

The Walk

I rolled over and checked the time. 4:30. My stomach was filled with nervous excitement and I wanted to get moving! I slept better than expected. Maybe the nights on the AZT will pay off.

Pancake breakfast started at 5. But I didn’t hear any other hikers rummaging around. 10 of us camped at CLEEF last night. It had free camping and breakfast, sponsored by the PCT community.

I closed my eyes for another 30 minutes with limited success. At 5 I got up and packed up my gear. It was a .3 mile walk from the camp site to breakfast. I popped on my trusty headlamp and went into the dark.

I saw a headlamp bobbing up and down ahead of me. When I got to the breakfast spot, I was greeted with a hot pancake and a cup of coffee to get the juices flowing. I glanced at trex drawing and had a morning laugh.

At 6 I was antsy. I enjoyed the morning chat, but wanted to get on trail. At 6:15 I saw an out and started my mile walk to the trailhead. I reflected on the conversation with Legend, the caretaker of the hostel. He’s a mainstay in the hiker community and has quite a few stories.

Vibes were high. Electric and excited. My pack felt light. I hiked with two others to the terminus to get out obligatory pics and pct badge!

I was ready. The other two hikers were planning a short day, so they stayed at the terminus to soak it in. But one of the volunteers said there were burgers in 20 miles. Even though nobody else at CLEEF planned to go the 20 miles to Lake Morena, I wanted to give it a shot. I had been doing 25-30 in Arizona. It seemed reasonable.

I headed out with fresh legs and a smile. The first thing I noticed was the trail is super well maintained. Not rocky at all. It was a welcome change compared to the AZT. The morning was overcast and cool, so the miles flew by. I had 10 miles done by 10 am. I was cruising and snacking on bars for fuel.

As the day went on the mist creeped upward to the mountain tops but never fully left. I was curious to see the views, but enjoyed the cool, crisp desert air. I didn’t love the intermittent sprinkling.

The sprinkling didn’t help dry my tent, which was wet with condensation from the night before. I was bummed I couldn’t find a sunny spot to dry it out.

At 13 miles I was tired. My initial excitement was wearing off. And I needed to eat lunch. I decided to wait until Hauser creek at mile 15. At noon I made it and joined two German girls for lunch by the dry creek.

I ate a tuna packet and almond butter, changed socks, and headed back on trail. With less than 5 miles to camp I was excited to keep going. Plus the last miles were mostly uphill. I loved the AZT uphill sections and was excited to see how my legs would hold up.

Oddly enough, the uphill gave me more energy (or maybe it was the tuna). Similar to the AZT I enjoyed the climb. It was a mildly sloped climb. 1.1k feet over three miles. But I was moving at normal speed. I must have walked by 15 hikers on the way and 40 total on the day. Most people use the first week of hiking as training.

The lake came into view and I was feeling great. No weird pains. I finished the last mile, chatted with a few hikers at the PCT camping area and set up my tent. After I finished settling up my tent, I noticed a next of fire ants a foot away from me. They didn’t seem to be bothered by my tent. But I have to remember not to use that door! I need to pay more attention next time.

Then I grabbed a burger and ice cream from the malt shop. I chatted with my German friends and malt man and pizza girl. I was bummed I was going farther than them. But at this point felt like putting in the miles to see how my body responds. I planned another 20 mile day tomorrow to the next town.

I headed back to the PCT site and at least 20 tents were set up. A fire was going and people were mingling. I chatted with some old friends and new friends. Then headed to bed.

It’s another misty night but not too cold. I’m tired from the day and hope to be asleep by 8! I snagged an apple and avocado from the malt shop and am excited to eat them in the morning. Maybe I’ll save the avocado for lunch.