Miles 77.4-110 Days 7&8

Day 7

Start: 77.4 End 94.4 Total 17.1

Nick and I awoke in the morning, had breakfast and coffee then headed out on trail. He hiked up with me for a couple hours before turning around to go to work. It was a steady climb of switchbacks up away from the road. 

Shortly after he left, the trail steadied out and went along side the mountain, following its contours. I started to notice an annoying knee pain whenever the trail evened out or went downhill. Around noon I passed a group of 6, sitting in the shade of a Juniper eating lunch. I stopped and chatted for a moment before hiking on. 

I hiked for another hour before sitting down in some shade for my lunch break. The group passed me while I ate. I went another few miles to the water cache and met them again. It was a nice water and snack break. My knee was still really hurting at this point so I thought about stopping but seeing it was mostly uphill from there on, I thought I would push on a little more. 

I was feeling pretty sore and tired after the water cache, so only went about 3 more miles, making it a 17 ish mile day. I would do 15 miles tomorrow into Warner Springs where I would meet Nick again! I had a lovely campsite to myself with beautiful surrounding views of the mountains and a wonderful sunset. I did a bit of journaling before eating dinner and crawling into my sleeping bag for the night.

Day 8

Start: 94.4 End:110 Total 15.6

I awoke around 6:30 and to my surprise I was not covered in frost. Excited to get to Warner Springs, I quickly did my morning routine of meditation, bathroom, breakfast and packing up. I was on the trail by 7:30!

After a few miles I was able to push the pain into the background and largely ignore it. I had a quick summit of a mountain before pushing back to the other side and slowly descending into the valley below. 

I passed a Little Rock formation announcing to hikers that they had completed the first 100 miles! I then got to barrel springs, the first water source of the day, around 10 am and 7 ish miles in and saw Mama Kitty, Katy (who I think took the trail name I offered her “guacamole”) and Jolly Rancher.

I chatted with Mama Kitty and Guac for a bit, they had skipped the section of snow around Mt. Laguna but assured me they were going to go back and do it. Hike your own hike I cheerfully assured them, I’m not the pct police! They hiked on and I filtered some water before heading out to do the last 7/8 miles into Warner Springs. 

I pushed up a couple hills and over them into various meadows. The meadows were a nice change of pace but so windy and full of cows and their patties! After a few miles I came upon Eagle Rock, a famous sacred Native American sight. 

After that was a very easy 3 miles with plenty of older tourists coming to check out the rock formation. Soon I was at the road and I saw my old friend Steve heading out back to trail. I called to him and we chatted briefly and told me he had taken up the name Rendevou, a military reference. He had been there since 10:30 and was heading back out. He’s a big strong dude with a tiny pack and I wonder if and when our paths will cross again.

I saw Nick pulling up in his little Juke and ran over to him. We both took little hose showers that they offered and I took advantage of the complimentary coffee they offer at the warner springs community center. 

After we washed up Nick drove me to the post office where I collected my first resupply package! We then drove a ways to get a delicious half pound burger, then A whole pie. We stopped at an overlook before heading back to Warner springs for me to organize my food and to get my bag ready for the next day. 

❤️Lioness