Days 25-28 Miles 302.7- 342

Day 25 Start 302.7 End 317.9 Total 15.2

I awoke and had a more relaxed start than normal. I walked a couple miles and saw Lucky and another hiker, Doc Holiday, at a stream. Doc had also hiked the AT in 2017! I hung out for a bit and dried out my sleeping bag that was wet from the night frost. I filtered some water and was on my way. Had a couple more miles until arriving at Deep Creek Hot Springs, right on the trail. 

Deep Creek Hot Springs are some natural hot springs, where people have contained the hot water coming from the springs with sand bags and giant rocks. Separating the hot water from the freezing cold river water rushing by right next to it. It’s a popular spot for people nearby, with only a 1.8 mile journey from their cars to the springs. I got there around 10 am and it wasn’t too crowded yet but it was a Saturday. I went for a cold plunge in the river for a couple minutes before making my way into the hot springs which was around 103 degrees. I hung out there for a bit and the other hikers I had been around the last couple days all made it there too and we chatted with some other folks that were in the same pool as us. There were four or so pools but this one was the least crowded and supposedly the warmest!

I kept going back and forth between the river and the springs for a while. After a couple hours it started to get crowded so I got out, dried off and made lunch. After lunch I started getting ready to head back to trail. As I was leaving, I noticed a slackline set up in the water on the other side of the springs. With great excitement, I ran over to where it was , traversing down a Little Rock climb with hot springs adjacent to it to get to the spot. I threw my bag off and took my hiking clothes off and went up to it in a hurry. It was a gibbon 2 in line and it was beyond the tightest line I had ever been on. It looked like it had been left up there and in hindsight I probably could’ve loosened it but I was up for the challenge. I gave it a few goes and after awhile I was standing up on it but all hope of taking any steps was immediately lost upon standing and I was plunging right back into the freezing cold river. I did this for a while until I was too cold to function and dried off and put my clothes back on and was back out on trail.

It was a beautiful walk through the canyon after the springs. I felt so amazing from the cold water and the excitement of having found a slackline. I continued walking through this amazing canyon right that followed the river. After a while you begin to walk out of the canyon and face these snow covered mountains. I was also starting to be soaked once more in my own sweat.  I crossed a river, balancing on some logs and was soon at a crossroads.

At the road on a PCT signpost, there were some advertisements about a bar, called the Joshua inn. They advertised that they would pick hikers up and drop them off. I decided to get out of the heat and go there for a beer and sandwich before getting back on trail. I called the driver, Alan and he came and got me. As we were leaving we saw another hiker approaching in the distance and we waited and offered them a ride, it was Kindheart. 

At the Joshua Inn I got a large cold beer and a meatball sub. Mark and Doc Holiday were also there. Mark is a professor of psychology in Australia and he had two meatball subs so Kindheart and I dubbed him “professor meatball” we’ll see if it sticks! Around 6 Alan gave Kindheart and I a ride back to the trailhead. We stopped first at a gas station and I couldn’t resist the urge to buy an ice cream sandwich and a bag of skittles. Charged up on sugar I hit the trail. It was the perfect time to hike out as the sun was beginning to set, the heat had faded away, everything was absolutely glowing. There was a yellow flower that was abundant around the mountainside and everything was so beautiful. I did about 4 more miles before meeting up and camping with Kindheart, Lucky and Goldfish. 

Day 26

Start: 317.9 End: 335.3 Total: 17.4

Had another earlier start as I wanted to get a good bit done before it got too hot. Was a nice morning hike and around 7 miles in I got to the start of a big beautiful lake and decided to go for a swim.

I went 3 more miles and stopped along the last part of the lake to take a long siesta and lunch break. I went for another swim before making lunch. Goldfish, Kindheart and Lucky all were also hanging out at this picnic area. I did some laying in the sun before I retreated to the shade. I spent a few hours there before heading back on trail around 3pm.

It was still very hot and I moved super slow so I would not break a sweat as I climbed up and out of that area. I did a sluggish 5 miles, regretting spending so much time laying in the sun. I got to a stream where I met Stumbles, Reaper and Steam and saw Lucky and Goldfish. Stumbles, Reaper and Steam had been in Idyllwild while I was there but I did not talk to them. After I filtered water for the night and morning I kept hiking for a couple miles before coming across Kindheart. I camped with him, Goldfish and Lucky that night.

As I was falling asleep Lucky made some grumbles nearby and swore he heard a bear or a large animal. He got up and shined his light around but saw nothing. There had been some comments on the app us hikers use about bears in the area. No one really hangs their food bags on the PCT and there weren’t really trees in the area to do so. I was situated in a space between Goldfish and Lucky so I was hoping that if there was a bear they would be attacked first. I still slept rather soundly given the scare. I awoke in the middle of the night and heard Goldfish snoring, I figured that would scare away any bear and went peacefully back to sleep.

Day 26

Start: 335.3 End: 341.9 +.4 to McDonald’s Total: 7

I had made it my mini goal a couple days ago to make it to the McDonalds at Cajon Pass in time for breakfast. So I awoke this morning as a hiker on a mission! I quickly packed my things, threw some coffee and breakfast essential into my water bottle and headed out on trail. I ate my poptart and drank my coffee as I walked . I left camp by 6:40 so had plenty of time to do the 7 miles to the McDonalds.

It was such a beautiful morning and I enjoyed being on trail as the sun rose. I could feel the heat as the sun peaked out so I was glad to be hiking only 7 miles and doing it early.

I had to make an emergency stop to dig a cat hole and take care of my morning poop. I thought I could make it to McDonalds but after a few miles I realized I could not. I dried out my sleeping bag while I took care of some business as it got wet from the night before. There weren’t many options but I found a spot on a steep hill with descent enough cover in case anyone was close behind me.

After my sleeping bag had dried out and business attended to I kept going with only a couple more miles to go! I soon was passing through this quaint canyon next to a river before popping out next to I15. There was a sign that announced the famous McDonalds, .4 miles away.

I walked to the McDonalds and was the first hiker there that morning. I got a coffee and some breakfast sandwiches while charging some of my devices. A group of three new hikers walked in shortly after me, Trip, Chip and Wolfslayer.

Trip and Chip are married and will be getting off trail to go to Trips sister’s wedding in Georgia for a week. Trip also has hiked the Appalachian Trail! Wolfslayer has hiked the Colorado Trail and Arizona Trail and got his name from preparing everyone to fight off supposed wolves with their trekking poles, before they were told by another hiker that the noise they heard was coming from a dog kennel nearby!

Kindheart and Lucky were close behind them. Then the other three hikers I met the day before, Stumbles, Reaper and Steam also rolled in. Stumbles and Reaper are a married couple from Germany who had also hiked the Appalachian Trail! Steam was an older hiker who started alone but had been camping with Stumbles and Reaper. Steam was a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts& Math teacher before retiring to hike, hence his trail name S.T.E.A.M.

Hikers came and went on their own plans. Later in the day Profesor Meatball and Doc Holiday came in and another hiker named Long Legs. Lucky, Goldfish and I hung there until about 2 pm where Lucky’s friend Noah picked us up and brought us to LA. Goldfish has a friend from France that’s in LA so upon arriving at Noah’s house, he just walked off to the bus station to take a bus to West Hollywood. He was a funny sight to see with his full pack walking down the residential street of LA.

I hung out at Noah’s house while Lucky and him went further towards the coast for a folk concert. I took a nice shower and one of Noah’s roomate made extra pasta so I had a bunch of that and did some reading and relaxing!

Day 28 ZERO!

Had a relaxing day reading, drinking coffee, airing out gear, laundry, making food, eating food, sewing pants etc. Later in the day I met up with my trail angel from Big Bear, Sami, who happened to be in the area going to a free show. I went to the air b&b she had nearby and went to a free punk rock show with her and her friends!

Day 29, heading back to trail! Stay tuned 😃