Thursday, May 31, 2012

Almost out of the desert, 1 month down 4 to go


The San Jacinto Wilderness: long hiking days, sometimes 24 miles + days, night hiking, and interesting hostels

Andy sent me one of his memory cards in the mail, along with a dirty smelly shirt since he purchased a new one when he was able to visit a REI.  Here are some of the pics that I thought were the best, however there were many that fit that bill.  He is currently in Mojave Cali resting his feet.  There is roughly a week of hiking to go until the goodbye to the desert will be said and hellos to the Sierra Nevadas. 

 

Isn't he cute




































Thursday, May 24, 2012

Animal Encounter and etc.

Had the most humorous encounter with a wildlife two nights back.  A group of 8 of us decided to hike on another 10 or 11 miles at night from the Mill Creek Fire Station in the Angeles National Forest.   There was a 25 mile stretch without guaranteed water ahead of us so we decided we'd try to do most of it at night and the next morning.  We cooked dinner at about 4 pm at the station and decided to start hiking at 6 after the sun had cooled.  We were getting close to camp and hiking with headlamps on when someone noticed something ahead and shouted a warning.  After a few seconds I caught a glimpse of the attacker: a skunk.  The skunk caught sight of all 8 of us and knew he had control of the situation.  He charged us several times.  I wish I had a photo of the 8 of us running from this skunk.  It was one of the funniest things I've experienced on this hike yet.  Finally the skunk left us alone with no one sprayed.  It still makes me laugh.

As another bonus we got to see the lights of LA at night from Mt Gleason (sp?) and walked through the LA county Fire Station complex at dusk.  The complex burned down in the 2009 Station Fire so it felt creepy.  I half expected zombies to come running out.

Night hiking is awesome by the way.  We'll be doing more of it to cross the Mojave desert ahead.

This has been such an amazing experience already.  It's been tough but I've met some amazing people.  I can't believe I've got 4 more months of this.  I wish Gretchen could experience this with me, and  I'm excited to see her.  It'll be three more weeks, but I feel as if I'll see her tomorrow.

Hikers Heaven

At Hiker Heaven for two nights to give my feet a rest.  The Saufleys have set up a sweet hostel of sorts.  I can even get a ride to an REI so I can buy some new insoles for my shoes and maybe a new down jacket.  Doing great except for some pain in the bottom of my right foot.  Nothing that some vitamin I (ibuprofen) hasn't been able to handle so far.  Mile 454, only about 250 to the High Sierra. 

Monday, May 21, 2012

San Gabriel Range

The trail comes within a few hundred feet of Mt. Baden-Powell peak, so of course any good hiker would want to stand on the summit.  It is the 4th highest peak of the San Gabriel Range at approximately 9400 feet.


Thursday, May 17, 2012

Almost Half Way to Kennedy Meadows

I thought I might post on my own for once for a quick update. I'm now at Cajon Pass where the PCT crosses I-15 at trail mile 342. Spending the night here and chowing down on Del Taco. Mmmmm! I'm hiking with a group of really nice people. We've just gone 76 miles in 3 days. Were almost halfway to Kennedy Meadows and the start of the Sierras. Were all tired of the heat and long waterless stretches of Southern California.

Skirting L.A.


Andy Called me from Big Bear on Tuesday.  It's crazy to think he's hiked almost 300 miles!  That's the distance I drove to drop them off at the trail head, and that was a long car ride, I can't imagine walking that distance.  Of course the scenery is much better on the trail. 

There are a lot of other hikers on the trail and I hear that friends are made and groups are formed.  There is a couple called the neon hats (everyone gets a trail name eventually) that have become friends.  It's comforting to know there are others out there on the trail with Andy, I worry.

I miss him a whole bunch, I wish I could poke him in the belly button. 







Friday, May 4, 2012

110 miles in


The boys made it to Warner Springs, where the only thing there is a post office and a resort.  This is where they picked up their first mailed-to resupply.  We sent the packages off from phoenix a week ago.


Along the way I will be sending the boys packages that we all prepacked, as there are areas of the trail where towns with grocery stores are few and far between.   They said they had too much food in the package, but along the trail they are being fed food and beer by people who are well wishers, trail angels. 


Andy said they will be taking there first layover day in Idylwild a few days from now where they will take in a cheap hotel for a phone charge and probably a very awesome shower.  I can't wait to see how big their beards get in these next few months.