Pre Hike Jitters and first days on trail.
Pre Trail Party: Saturday, March 30
I had scheduled a "Thank you for being a friend and helping me fight Cancer" Party for my friends and co-workers. I had offered to pay, but my friends weren't having it.
I had a great time, learned a few things (like don't try Thai food for the first time in the middle of nowhere. Evidently your system takes a little while to adjust to the different taste of Thai food. Megan gave me a "going for a long hike" gift bag of socks, eneinrgy chews, protein bars a trail meal I've never had and a wonderful card. Thanks Megan ! Dave Hood gave me an awesome "Have a great hike card" with a gift card for me to use on trail. Thanks Dave !
Am I ready ?:Tuesday, April 2
Today was my last day at work and I was a total bundle of nerves. Thank goodness everyone was kind and understanding.
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| A farewell gift from my friends. |
I swear I should start the Procrastinators Party. Our motto will be: The party for people who wait until the very last second to start doing stuff. The only problems are, I'm sure the candidates wouldn't file their paperwork in time, and the voters would mean to vote for our candidates, but never get around to it.
I'm Off !: Wednesday, April 3
I woke up at 5, realized I wouldn't get back to sleep, so I got up and did a few more things. No I didn't complete my To Do list. I left for the airport at 8 AM. It's a one hour drive to the airport and my flight was scheduled for Noon. I got there in plenty of time. Had a good chat with the shuttle driver who took me from where I dropped off my rental car and the terminal.
We left the gate on time and then spent 20 minutes sitting on the apron. They needed to get some paperwork to the Captain and the electronic transfer wouldn't work. So we had to go back to the gate so they could give him physical papers for the flight. To quote an old movie "The bureaucratic mentality is the only constant in the universe".
In spite of our 25 minute delay, we arrived on time in Salt Lake City. Good thing. I cut my schedule a little to close. First Class was boarding my flight to San Diego when I got to the gate. Whew ! That was close ! (Note to self: never schedule connecting flights with less than a 2 hour layover).
The flight to San Diego was smooth and on time. I had reservations to stay with Scout and Frodo at their home in San Diego. A $1.25 (normally $2.50) bus ride and a short walk later, I was there. Scout and Frodo hiked the PCT in 2007, and Scout has gone on to hike the AppalachianTrail and the Continental Divide. He is also a past president of the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the author of the book "Journeys North". They have been hosting hikers (up to 50 a night for 3 months a year) for several years. Last year was supposed to be their last year hosting, but they decided to host hikers this year. In addition to an excellent supper, they gave us many words of encouragement and wisdom.
Day 1: I hit the Trail: Thursday, April 4
After an excellent breakfast at Scout and Frodo's, I realized that I hadn't made a reservation for Southern Terminus Shuttle. Lucky for me, they had room in the van that they use to carry all the packs. Whew! The shuttle made a stop at REI so the hikers from overseas could buy and last minute items they needed. Our next stop was the Campo Green Store, where we bought good sandwiches for lunch. Next door is the Gaskill Brothers Stone Store which was built in the 1878. The stone store was built on the site of an earlier wooden structure that was the scene of the second deadliest shootout in the American West.
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| Gaskill Brothers Stone Store. |
After lunch, it was on to the trail. After taking our photos at the monument, we got a trail briefing from Eric, a trail runner for the PCTA. He also checked our permits and gave us PCT tags to put on our packs. Then it was time to start hiking
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| My quick trip to Mexico.... |
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| I think, therefore, I will hike the PCT |
As I started hiking, I realized that the waterproof pouch for my phone was missing. Those of you who read about my first go at the PCT, know that my phone got wet in the Sierra. I am determined not to have that happen again. The pouch is definitely waterproof, but photos taken with the phone in the pouch don't look good. So, I had taken my phone out of the pouch and handed it to a fellow hiker so she could take my photo. I looked for the pouch for 5 minutes, before shrugging and going on with the hike. In answer to your question: yes I have a "real camera" ( a Sony A6400 for those who are interested ) but I didn't want to make it difficult for a stranger to take my photo. At any rate, a few miles down the trail, I found my phone pouch exactly where I had put it.
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| I left my mark... |
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| Hikers signing the banner at CLEEF. They will bring it to Trail Days in August. |
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| One down, 2,655 to go... |
Tucked in behind my hipsack. I made decent time ( for me that's a 1.5 mile per hour pace ) for the first 4 miles. Southern California has received a lot of rain and some snow lately. According to the van driver, Southern California now has enough water for 2 years. There are streams that are listed in the FarOut ap as being dry that have flowing water. At mile 4.4, I stopped to get some water. One of the other hikers asked if the plant she had brushed against several times while collecting water was Poison Oak. Yes it was. Ari is from Germany, where they don't have poison plants. So I told her the old wisdom "Leaves of three, leave it be", and to wash any parts of her skin that might have touched the plant. She said she had rubbed her eyes. Ouch !! I told her to flush her eyes as best as possible. A little further along, a hiker said "Look there's Eagle Rock". Eagle Rock is a landmark that the goes past at mile 106, so obviously we weren't there, but the rock she pointed at looked like an eagle (but smaller than Eagle Rock), so I called it "Eaglet Rock". As I kept on, I passed several campsites thar were tempting, but I was worried about the rain that was forecast. Finally at 6:30 I set up camp at Mike 10.6. It started to rain right after I finished setting up camp. I tried out the "Forever Young Mac and Cheese" meal that Megan gave me. It's pretty good, but I wasn't as hungry as I thought. I think one problem I will have for a while is making sure I eat enough.
Day 2: "I'm Hikin in the rain":Friday April 5
It rained on and off all night. When I woke at 6, it was a mix of snow and rain, with temps in the low 30's.
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| Today is going to be fun.... |
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| Can you tell how thrilled I am ? |
I was packed and hiking by 7. At 8, I met Kate, a hiker from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and we hiked together for a while. At mile 14.3, we passed the "If the trail is harder than you thought, push the button" sign. About 50 people a year push that button. I don't criticize the people who push the button. I respect them for having the courage to try. Not everyone does.
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| The trail isn't for everyone... |
As we neared the bottom of Hauser Canyon, we passed a trail crew, working on pruning the brush away from the trail. Thank you good people
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| Trail crew doing the never ending work of keeping the trail passable. Thanks !! |
After a 5 minute rest by the stream (which was flowing well which is unusual for April), I started the long, hard slog up the east side of Hauser Canyon. Hauser Canyon is the first serious test for any NoBo (Northbound) Through Hiker. In a little under 3 miles, you climb 1400 feet. This was the second time I hiked out of Hauser Canyon in the rain.
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| Looking back across the canyon. The panic button is left and up from the brown pole. |
The constant precipitation ( it changed from rain, to snow, to freezing rain, to hail, and sometimes all at once ) made the trail slippery in spots, especially the exposed clay slopes.
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| Definitely slippery when wet.. |
I finally made it to Lake Morena County Park at 1:30.
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| Hikers huddling under a gazebo to dodge the weather. |
I was hoping to rent a cabin to warm up and dry out, but they were all booked. I decided to walk 0.5 mile to the Malt Shop for a hot meal. On my way there, a fellow hiker told me I could call a motel and they would send someone to pick me up. YES !! At this point I was cold and wet, and couldn't stop shivering. A fellow hiker who had cell service called the motel for me and 2 other hikers and Lydia from the motel picked us up and took us to the motel. When I got to my room, I filled the tub with hot water and soaked in it for 30 minutes or so.
I experienced "twinges" in my right knee as I descended Hauser Canyon. Going uphill on on level ground it is fine. So after my bath I put a "Hiker Brace" (aka KT Tape) on my knee.
Day 3: Short Day to Boulder Oaks: Saturday April 6
I got a very late start. It was 12:39 before I was dropped off at the Malt Shop and 1:49 before I was back on trail. The weather was sunny and mild with Temps in the low 60's. Perfect hiking weather. I had meant to hike 10 miles, but after two stream crossings, I decided to stop at Boulder Oaks Campground so I could at least partially dry out my shoes and socks. As usual (for this year at least) the streams were running deeper and faster than usual.
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| First stream crossing |
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| Second stream. The trees in the middle mark the bank in a normal year. |
The second stream was almost knee-deep in the shallow areas, when normally it is half that depth.
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| The "pole" in the left front is a California Live Oak sapling. |
I made a reservation for a Tiny House Cabin in Mount Laguna. Then I realized will have to hike 16 miles tomorrow. Ugh!!
Day 4: The Long, Hard Climb to Mount Laguna: Sunday, April 7
When I woke up at 4 AM to go to the bathroom, I had ice on the inside of my tent. Brrrr !! It hadn't warmed up before I got up at 6.
I was packed and hiking by 7. Within minutes I had crossed old Highway 80, and then I passed under I - 8, whose traffic we heard at Boulder Oaks during the night.
After crossing under the Interstate, I began the long steady climb towards Mount Laguna. The weather was sunny and cool with temps in the low 30's as I started out. About a mile past the interstate, I passed a group of hikers who were just waking up. By 9, I was starting to overheat ( even though the temps were still in the 30s ) so I stopped to shed my outer layer.
As I was shedding my insulated hoodie, Ari, the German hiker who got into Poison Oak on Day 1, hiked past me. She said I hike fast. Not hardly ! I just putz along at about 1.5 miles per hour. If I am hiking on a smooth downhill slope, I might hit 3 miles per hour. She thanked me for the advice on Poison Oak and said she didn't have a rash or an itch. Good for her ! She said she was not using her trekking poles so she would hike slower and enjoy the scenery more. If she was using her poles, I doubt I would be able to keep up with her on a bike.
After that I encountered two pairs of day hikers ( one couple had a dog with them ) going west. At 9:30 I found my first signs of Trail Magic. Orange peels and empty water bottles. Good thing I wasn't hungry or thirsty.As I got higher and higher into mountains I started to see patches of snow, remnants of the storm on Day 2.
At mile 32.4 Gandalf left a message. In 2009 a US Marine Corps Attack Helicopter crashed here, and there is still unexploded ammunition in the area. They cleared the trail, but it isn't safe to leave it.
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| Be Very Careful and Watch your step |
By mid afternoon, temps were in the high 50's to low 60's with clear skies and a mild breeze. I had the trail all to myself, which was weird. For about 7 hours and 9 miles, I didn't see anyone. Where did the other hikers go ? There were at least 4 or 5 hikers at Boulder Oaks when I left, and there were 4 or 5 tents that I passed before 9 AM. But nobody caught up to me until 4, when a British hiker who had started beyond Boulder Oaks Campground passed me. As I got closer to Mount Laguna, the snow covered most of the shaded ground.
Finally at 5 PM, I trudged into Mt Laguna after 10 hours of hard hiking. For some reason, I can't get my pack to fit right. By the time I reached town, my upper back and shoulders were killing me.
I grabbed a "bunk" (actually a mattress on the floor) in a Tiny House Cabin, took a shower and walked to "The Outpost" restaurant.
I'm not normally a fan of barbecue, but the smoked Turkey brisket was really good. The service was excellent. They gave me a free desert because the fries weren't ready when my sandwich was. I learned a valuable lesson: If the meal you order doesn't include fries, don't order the fries separately, because you probably won't be able to eat the meal and your fries.
Day 5: A well earned Zero
If I had known how uncomfortable the mattress was, I would have used my inflatable sleeping pad. To make matters worse, I was right next to the door, and there is a gap between the door and the floor. Lots of space for cold air to come through. Good thing I had my sleeping bag.
I woke up at 6 (usual for me), got dressed and waited for the Pine House Cafe to open at 9. Pine House Cafe is one of my favorite places to get a meal on the PCT. They serve French food and American food cooked with French style.
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| Breakfast at Pine House Cafe |
Very good stuff. After breakfast, I did laundry and dried out my tent.
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| Drying out my tent |
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| Viewing the Solar Eclipse |
I then had lunch at Pine House Cafe ( Chicken Pot Pie: very good ) and did a little shopping at the General Store. The Owner/ Manager has a reputation for being unfriendly, but I had a nice chat with him. When I got back to the cabin, I moved my sleeping bag to one of the lofts.
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| The view from my "bunk" |
A couple from New Jersey had claimed the other. We were joined by two other hikers, one of whom got to sleep on the ground floor. I warned her about the mattress and the air gap at the door.
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