Category: PCT Thru Hike

Hiked 21.8 miles today. At mile 482.4.

It was a day for the critters. Got stung by 2 bees and saw my 3rd Rattlesnake. The snake was hiding in a bush beside the trail and rattled when I passed. I l also saw the largest lizard so far, 12 inches; it seems the hotter it gets, THe larger the lizards grow.

The morning started with the most beautiful green mountain meadows I had  seen on this hike. Upon crossing a mountain ridge, the landscape changed to a hot dry landscape of chalky and sandy mountains. As the morning passed the heat increased. Having an early start I didn’t mind taking a long break from the heat. I picked out a spot where the trail turned into a cleft between slopes. I knew there would be shade there, but was surprised to see a large overhang rock formation that provided refreshing refuge from the heat. The stones were actually cold. A  sign was posted that a Boy Scoit Troop had improved the spot. I also noticed a swarm of bees buzzing in and out of a nest deep inside an opening in the rock. I chose a spot as far away from the bees as possible and made myself comfortable in the shade..I rested my bare feet on smooth cold rocks as I laid back on my pad and drank water. It was so cool that I used my down jacket as a cover and took a nap. Full Sail and Wit came up and I awoke. Fit stepped into the shade and as I warned him about the bees he was stung. Another bee chases Full Sail down the trail. Both long gone, I tried to settle back to my nap, but I wasn’t the only one to have been awakened. First one bee attacked. I stayed where I was and defended my territory, but the bee would not give up. Eventually, I had to gather all my stuff and move out of harms way. Score, (Me) 2 stings, one on toe and one on nose, (Bees)!1 dead bee.

Here I am relaxing in the cool spot before other hikers stirred up the bees.

Here is the cool refuge from a very safe distance. It is In the rocks.

Here is the green of the early day.

On top of the mountain in the green area was a lot of wildflowers.

A cool rock that I had to photograph.

More flowers. I think these were fireweed. The humming birds (another critter) were working on these flowers. This made me realize something about what happened yesterday. I was taking a beak when I heard something fly by very fast. The whir had a Doppler effect. I wondered at the time that nothing in nature would move that fast. Now I realize that it must have been the straight line flight of a hummingbird.

Here is a photo from Casa De Luna, a kind of free hostel similar to Hiker Heaven, but much less organized, very laid back, and hippyish. People paint rocks and place them in the Manzanita forest where guests camp. They cook for you and feed you. I didn’t stay since I wanted to hike in the cool evening.

I came over the last mountain of the day and had a view of the Mojave desert I will soon be walking through.

 

Here is the view from the start of the day when I woke up Fromm my trailside cowboy camp.

 

Here is a view of the trail I had hiked with headlamp the night before.

 

 

 

 

 Hiked 16.3 miles today. At mile 460.6.m so tired,

I can barely write this. It is nearly 10 PM and I night hiked to a spot on a mountain overlooking the lights off Agua Dulce.

Here is the Santa Clara river. Gren slime.

 

Here are photos of the hike out of Acton.

I came over the mountain and saw this freeway in front of me.

 

Here is Vasquez rocks.

Aren’t family meal spaghetti at Big Mouth Pizza and felt unwell due to overeating.

This is just one garden at Hiker Heaven. My resupply box was sent there. Also took a shower there. Very well run, organized, clean, and beautiful and all free to hikers. 

Here is Patches on left and Mountain Goat relaxing and watching horses at Hiker Heavan. Chickens wander around.

 

Sunset as I hike into the night.

Hiked 17.3 miles today.At mile 444.3.

Last night while sleeping I had sore feet. They really ached! It’s strange because they only hurt a little and on occasion while I hiked. I’ve had the same experience earlier in the hike, but with my knees and legs. No problem during the day, but at night, another story. I think it is like when your fingers get cold. They don’t really start hurting until you start warming them. As long as my feet are being used they are okay, but when resting they begin to hurt.

As for physical ailments, I’ve been lucky. All blisters and sore toes went away. The shin splint went away before it really got started. The only thing that continues for now is the sore left shoulder. I think it might really be neck related so I remembered the Ergonomics training we had at AT&T. Yes, you AT&T folks, Corporate Compliance Training can really pay off. 🙂 These were stretching exercises you can do at your desk. Chin tuck, roll head in circular motion CW, then CCW, and most importantly, shoulder rolls. Let’s see whether this regimen helps my sore left shoulder.

I figured out that if I average 18.2 miles per day, then I could reach Kennedy Meadows by May 4th, plenty of time to get back for Maura’s graduation. I’m also coming back for the birth of a grandchild, but I can’t predict that date. My plan is to return to the trail later in May. It isn’t wise to enter the Sierras any sooner, it would only be a slog through snow and cold.

Okay, here is the hike. After seeing Mario early in the day, I didn’t see anyone else on the trail. It’s amazing how you don’t see others, but when you reach a town there are 30 or so people. I’m sharing the the KOA campground in Acton tonight with about 30 other thru-hikers.

It was a clear and warmer day, in fact as I descended to desert it became quite hot. Here are the early last remains of clouds hugging distant mountains.

Growing through the asphalt in the driveway of the Ranger Station, would you believe? A Poodle Dog Bush. They’ve closed parts of the PCT due to this plant. I stopped at the Ranger Station to use the picnic table for lunch. They were also accepting $1 donations for soft drinks. I had a Coke and a Mountain Dew. You might think the P in PCT is for Pepsi, but you would be wrong. All I see being handed out on the trail is Cokes. Not one Pepsi so far. Guess the C in PCT is for Coke.

 

Vasquez Rocks. Tomorrow I’ll get close to these.

The trail

Flowers on the trail.

 

Hiked 17 trail miles today not including trail detour and jaunt to top of Mt Williamson. At mile 400.7

Yes, I’ve hiked 400 miles.

Today the trail detoured down Highway 2 to help save the Yellow Legged Tree Frog. I walked the entire reroute, but that was only because no cars came in my direction during the entire time I was walking 2.7 miles on Hwy 2.

Here is the trail closure.

Here is a lame ski resort named Snow Crest I walked by. The lifts had one seat. It was across the ateeet from the protected area. They can put in a ski resort, but they can’t let us walk through on a trail.

Here is Mout Williamson. I climbed it in the morning.

Tree on a rocky crag on Mt Williamson.

 

Here is a cool plant that seems so geometrically perfectly spherical.

Another Tree with blue sky.

 

Hiked 14.5 miles today. At mile 383.9.

Today I was leaving town so I didn’t get started hiking until 11.30 AM. The big hiking event of the day was summiting Mt Baden Powell.

Getting back to Inspiration Point was easy. A trail angel had lent Wallet his old Ford Bronco and Wallet had been driving all over and taking hikers around town and back to the trail. Cricket and Chaucer were getting in the Bronco so I asked if I could come along. Wallet said, “Come on”. I felt a little bad because Wallet was the guy that I decided not to let share a room at Pine Lodge with Nuts and I. It worked out for him though because he got a free room, board, and car. What a town!

Here is Baden Powell.

It is 4 miles to the summit. There is a climb of 3000 vertical feet over that distance. Making the climb more challenging is the fact that I am carrying new food supplies.

Here is the sign.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a 1500 year old tree near the summit of Baden Powell. The Wally tree.

 

Here is a view back toward Mt San Antonio.

 

 

Here is snow on the trail on the way up Baden Powell.