FYI, my first roll of film has been developed and I will be sharing a few favorites on my Instagram @onedayontheway. You can also view them on the " INSTA" page of this site.
Day 8 • April 25th • Mile 119.6 [Warner Springs to Lost Valley Spring] Off to Idlewidel... Idyllpoodle... Oodledoodle... Idyllwild!
Late start from Warner Springs today. Always tough getting out of towns. Left after 3pm, so we only did about 10 miles [all climbing tho, so I found myself off loading all of the extra food I had in my pack by hurling snacks through the bushes at my friends]. Arrived at our campsite with a view just before sunset. Superb. Tried and failed to cowboy camp for the 2nd time. Too much moisture in the air. Imagine that! In the desert? Bummer, but not worth complaining about really. One Day I'll get to sleep under the stars...
Song of the Day - Where Have All The Cowboys Gone, Paula Cole
Day 9 • April 26th • Mile 137 [Lost Valley Spring to Tule Canyon Road] Crushing Miles & Taking Naps Getting in the swing of things... The trail is beginning to feel like home now. It's amazing how cozy some poles, stakes and a bit of fabric can be. Each night that I don't set up the rain fly I hang my hat on the "door" as if to say "Hubba [name of my tent] I'm home!" For some, the trail - right here and now - really is home. They don't have a closet of things claiming space and energy elsewhere. I am inspired. I am no ultralight elitist, but sometimes I do regret the baggage I carry around... As I've already mentioned, the simple life of the trail is a good one.
"This water tastes like earth, $#!t and bleach."
"But aren't they actually called Earth, Wind and Fire?" Commence the laughter. It doesn't take much, but laughter is the balm of the soul. Out here I have felt my sides splitting several times a day and is hurts so good. Put in 10ish miles this morning before stopping for... er.. 3rd breakfast at a trail angel's place just off the side of the trail. I found a hammock and did some hard core napping. Then we hiked on before the promised pizza might tempt us to stay the night [looking back, why the HECK did I do that?? I won't make that mistake again...] and found a spot in the shade RIGHT on the side of the trail to nap some more. We were quite the picture. Lolled out with dirty feet poking out onto the dusty trail. Woke up late [after 4pm] with the feeling of where am I???? Oh! On the PCT, well it's all good then...
Still managed to knock out 17+ miles for the day. And made a new friend! "Hot Springs" [now "Sunkist"] and we had a great chat about the trail and lessons learned and ultra running and triathlons. Fun stuff. And I spotted a humming bird while fetching my water for the evening! Song of the Day - King of the Road, Dean Martin
Day 10 • April 27th • Mile 157.4 Tule Canyon Road to Campsite @ 157.4 SUPER BLOOM!
Have I mentioned that we are in the midst of a Super Bloom?! I have seen an AMAZING variety of cacti in the desert. Absolutely stunning. We are quite spoiled with colors.
Tho the Paradise Cafe and the promise of the best cheeseburger on trail was a major motivator to pick up the pace, I found this difficult to do in the midst of such blooming beauty! A butterfly hopped out in front of me on trail for a hot (literally) minute to remind me once again that it is O.K. to take my time.
[Sunkist enjoying a cheeseburger in paradise...] Ultimately, Paradise was achieved and a pretty spectacular cheeseburger was had. Then, as fate would have it, in Paradise I shed my first tears on trail. Out of frustration in the decision making process. #thewoooorst I was presented with endless options on how to proceed. Oh dear. Do I walk this way or that? As simple as that, yet not easy. Because of periodic closures for landslides, fires and poodle bush... I don't expect to walk every single step of the "PCT." It is important to me that I connect my footsteps from Mexico to Canada... and yet, who knows what will happen on this journey?! Over-planning and over-committing have been my worst enemies. I decided that when in doubt, I would stick to the trail as best I could. There truly is no better place to calm my overactive mind. And these words will ring in my ears for all of eternity: Whenever you make a decision you are choosing not to do something else and that's O.K. Thanks Sun Bear.
Photo Cred: Patty "Sunkist" Duffy Upon even further reflection: I have said that I do this for the community and yet I think this particular moment was also about challenging my tendency to just go with the flow because I can become more concerned with what I think pleases others than what truly pleases myself. It becomes difficult to really know me. And I have learned that sometimes I want more than just one thing... Hence the tearful frustration. #growth #vulnerabilityisstrength All in all, I am happy to be back on trail with Flame and Sunkist. Song of the Day - Two Tickets to Paradise, Eddie Money #BOTO moment... Not 5 seconds after making my decision and saying farewell to some friends who where going another way did some other friends show up who I hadn't seen in a while! Sweet! Day 11 • April 28th • Mile 166.6+ [Campsite @ Mile 157.4 to PCT Mile 166.6 then to Idyllwild via Guthook's Alternate Route] Marathon Day into Iddlewiddle 28+ miles today into Idyllwild in order to set ourselves up for a full rest day tomorrow. #WOOF #worth Grateful to have had the company of Sunkist to help navigate a rather complicated alt. route around a fire closure of the PCT.
It wasn't so bad [not bad at all!] until we came back down to the highway and had to follow back roads to stay off the main road with no shoulder. Eek! Glad to have had a buddy. And GPS! what?! I mean I could've got it done with my paper maps, but these days [believe it or not] there's technology that works just like the GPS in your car on trail... weird, but useful. #kidsthesedays
The views today were pretty stunning and it was an overall enjoyable time, but we must have looked frightful by the end of the day because we tried "mooing" a hello at a bunch of cows and they all ran away! "Scary hikers!" Song of the Day - Dust in the Wind, Kansas Note: Without even knowing it, at mile 163.1 I hit my highest point of elevation backpacking yet at 7,002ft! Wahoo!!
Day 12 • April 29th • PCT Mile 166.6+ [Zero in Idyllwild] Much Ado About Nuthin' 1st zero day along the trail and I feel as if I've had everything and nothing to do. It's exciting and exhausting. You should try it some time. I was fortunate to be offered to bunk with Sunkist who'd reserved a place ahead. We got in late, then ate pizza until later and I was just going to stay at the campground, but my new friend kindly encouraged me that the "real" bed was the better option. This morning, after a very restful night and 2 showers!! We set out for the Red Kettle to have breakfast. It was there that I had the most heavenly coffee. I managed to resupply almost completely out of a hiker box [things left behind by hikers who don't want to carry them, many hikers send themselves too much food at the beginning of the trail]. I had Idyllwild's famous ice cream bar for lunch. Cause why not?
Hit up the library and the P.O. I decided to go ahead and take Bangarang's microspikes (Thanks bud!) up San Jacinto and down Fuller Ridge, since I'm only carrying about 3 days food to Cabazon. (Shouts out Kat! who will resupply me there and take me to see the worlds largest dinosaurs and maybe even *gasp!* an In-N-Out burger!)
I'm thinking I may not need the microspikes but... #carrytheweight! Meeting the crew [aptly named "Peanut Butter Sunrise"] at the Red Kettle for an early departure tomorrow. I hope the kitchen staff is still playing Pat Benetar to send us off! Song of the Day - Love is a Battlefield
Day 13 • April 30th • PCT Mile 185.6 [Idyllwild to Devil's Slide Trail to PCT to Wellman's Cienaga Trail to San Jacinto to PCT North Fork San Jacinto River] YetiXing
10,834ft! Highest point of elevation yet!
Hopped off the "official PCT" for a bit from IddlePoodle to Summit San Jacinto then rejoin the PCT. First major side trip along another trail and definitely confirmed my desire to walk all of the cool stuff and not just exclusively the official PCT. I'm actually doing more miles this way. Ha! We had originally planned to do Fuller's Ridge today as well, but I'm glad that this day was just to appreciate San Jacinto. #Respect
And tonight we are camping at 8,883ft. Gonna be a bit chilly! I was glad to have the microspikes after all, tho they were not completely necessary...
Certainly helpful and I used them because I carried them. The climb up was beautifully scenic and the snow increased all the way.
We def lost the trail a few times in the snow, but there were enough tracks to follow. [Another time I was grateful for folks in my company with GPS. This made navigating the snow covered trail a lot easier.]
We will do Fuller tomorrow, but probably not start until late in the morning to give any ice some time to soften. I am grateful for a chance to sleep in. The SoCal sun has set beautifully every single night. Song of the Day - You May Be Right, Billy Joel
Day 14 • May 1st • Mile 205.75 [North Fork San Jacinto River to Snow Canyon Road faucet] GOOD LUCK! Slept 12 glorious hours last night! Woke up singing Britney Spears and Sophia shared with us some killer dance moves... Whoa. Moving on! Haha. Late start as planned. Fuller Ridge turned out to be no problem. San Jacinto had been more difficult.
Over the course of the afternoon we descended from snow and pine to desert and wind. Over 7,00ft! The water got sparse again. And at a point when we really needed it there was concern that the source might be dried up. Luckily we found it! Along with about a gajillion ladybugs!!!!!
We continued our decent down, down, down, until it began to feel like we were on a broken record in loop. Wait... haven't I seen that switch back before?? Song of the Day - ...One More Time, Britney Spears Note: Successfully cowboy camped this night! Wahoo!
