Started: Eagle Rock (106.2)
Ended: Campsite (115.4)
Total: 9.2 Trail + 4 Bonus miles

I woke up just before sunrise. There was no rush getting up. I need to pick up my resupply box at the Warner Springs Post Office and it did not open until 9 a.m. and it was only three miles away.

Warner Springs has an excellent community center supporting PCT hikers. I walked there first and signed in. In the back there are bucket showers and a sink to do laundry. Instead of picking up my box, I cleaned up first. Once again I strolled around town in my 1.2 ounce laundry shorts. I’m a thru hiker now and I just don’t care.

No. I will not post a selfie of me in them.

While my laundry dried, I skipped the shuttle ride to the post office and walked the mile there and back.

After I returned to the community center, I went through what I had sent myself. It was a bit too much, so I put a bunch in the hiker box. I had ten days of coffee in there, but I traded it for electrolytes.

Yeah, I know it doesn’t make sense to me either. I used to love coffee less than a week ago.

I also packed a microwave meal in the box, so instead of eating in town, I cooked that.

It was decision time. Once my laundry dried, I could advance, or I could zero like everyone else. It was during this time I earned my trail name Young Buck.

Everyone has minor injuries like blisters, pulled muscles, sore IT Bands, and sore feet. I, on the other hand, am completely healthy. A three mile day will not get me to Canada. As I sat there thinking, this is day eight and I’ve hiked just 109 miles. When I sat up late at night thinking about this hike, I figured I would be here day five or six. I intended to just hike past Julian. Here it is day eight. Now people are taking about the pancake breakfast in the morning. There is only one thing to do. Hike on.

So, I said goodbye to everyone and pushed on. I hiked six miles to the base of a large climb with plenty of flowing water. I am alone at this oasis in the desert. I set up camp and forced myself to eat. I’m still more thirsty than hungry. With some daylight left and all alone, I searched for the lesson I was sent here to learn.

By me there are two trees. One is small and homely. It doesn’t tower over everything here, but it is so remarkable. It is growing from underneath a boulder! How it is possible, I do not know, for the rock that covered it, blocked both the rain and the sun. Despite this obstacle, not only did it reach the sky, but it cracked the rock.

I turned around and there was a tall but very dead tree. It’s roots reached the flowing water and at one time it was the biggest tree here. It stands, but its branches are bare. I suspect that the tree growing from the boulder used to look at the once mighty tree and wished it was as tall and beautiful. Maybe it still does. Does it know that it thrives?

Does the now dead tree realize that it is no longer going to grow leaves? Maybe it refuses to fall because it believes it will grow again even though it already has full access to the sun and roots that have plenty of water. It would be better for it to fall and become the soil for a new tree.

Tomorrow I’ll get up early and attack this.

With that, I fell asleep to the sound of flowing water.

Continue reading →

Started: Campsite (86.0)
Ended: Eagle Rock (106.2)
Total: 20.2 miles
Achievements Unlocked: Ten-By-Ten (1), Twenty Mile Day (1), One Hundred Miles, Ride the Eagle

The wind was fierce through most of the night. Sometimes it would blow my sleeping quilt like it was a balloon. The rocks and bush only could do so much to protect me. However, my outer shell kept me reasonably warm. It was easy to fall asleep with the white noise and at some point the wind died.

I woke up before the sun rose, but I chose not to push it as I had expended quite a bit of energy hiking uphill in the wind the night before. The goal today is to stage myself close to Warner Springs so that I can resupply. It is probably too far for me to reach tomorrow, especially when the famed Eagle Rock is there to visit.

Still, I was up while it was cool so the first five miles to a water source were easy. I miscalculated so I was already carrying four liters. That was ten pounds I didn’t need to carry up that hill. I stopped and made breakfast.

I continued on when I reached a small cave. I had hiked ten miles by ten a.m.! That is a small yet important achievement. I need to master the 10-by-10 if I hope to finish this hike by October 1st.

I ran into Fishtank, now hiking with a different group. Without a doctor, he decided to just muddle on. I’m invited to hike with them, but the group consists of two married couples, and I’m concerned that hiking with them will make me miss home more that I already do. Still, we celebrated 100 miles to far.

I can see the difference my training made. Fishtank knee is hurting. His feet are covered in blisters. I on the other hand am moving well. No doubt we’ll hike together again, but for now we part ways.

For now, I’m hiking with Jamie from Wisconsin, Laura from Tennessee, Candace, and Brian from Chicago (Maoi).

There was trail magic at mile 15, and I made it pretty effortlessly. I was handed a Keystone Light. Not my favorite beer, but it was damn good. Jamie and I took a nap for two hours before rejoining the trail.

We set a goal of Eagle Rock. It would be a twenty mile day. Jamie and I had a stare-down with some cows. Because of our Wisconsin heritage, we spoke to them in cow language, but clearly they are not happy cows. They speak California cow. With this heat, their milk is probably sour already. When they took a defensive position, we decided to give them a wide berth. You don’t need to speak cow to know they weren’t looking for a pat on the head.

We hiked another five hours. I didn’t eat enough, so I was dragging, but I made it.

We took pictures and celebrated. I cowboy camped to the most beautiful sunset.

We cowboy camped among the rocks. It was awesome!

Started: Scissors Crossing (77.0)
Ended: Campsite (86.0)
Total: 9.0 miles

I had a relaxing morning. I ran into Fishtank in front of Mom’s Pies. He is going to visit the local doctor to see if he could get a cortisone shot in his knee. I felt pretty sad about that. As I was walking back to my hotel room, I ran into Jamie and Candace. They took me back to Mom’s Pies to get my free slice. I chose pecan with a scoop of vanilla. It was strange not enjoying it with a cup of coffee, but it was heavenly!

After that, Brian and I bought food to get to Warner Springs. Not a lot. Just enough.

There is some math to how I deal with food. It is Thursday. I have a box in Warner Springs. The post office there closes at 1 p.m. on Saturday, and it is closed on Sunday. If I don’t get there before the post office closes, I’m stuck there until Monday.

There was a high wind advisory in the mountains, so we waited to leave until 2 p.m. While we waited at Carmen’s Place, Fishtank gave me the news that he’d be staying back. The trail is a cruel mistress. The local doctor refused to give Fishtank a shot without x-rays. As much as that decision sucks, I don’t blame the doctor. So the F’Tank and I agreed to part ways for now. He is going to take it slow. We’re at the same speed when healthy.

At 2 p.m. Ghost took us back to Scissors Crossing and I started bounding up the canyon. Just a few days ago I feared climbing Hauser Canyon. Now I’ve done a few. The goal was a camp in the valley that would shelter us from the wind. It was nine miles in and uphill the whole way. The wind was terrible. I had to drop to the ground a couple of times as I was being pushed and it was a long long way down.

I’m still shaped like a hot air balloon, and normally they just glide in the wind, but that was not the case here. The wind would catch me and I would yaw off the path and there isn’t much of a path. The wind would also catch me just right and go up my nose, making me gag. Good times!

I made it to camp with an hour of daylight to spare and fell asleep nearly instantly.

Now that I’ve had a week on trail, what lessons have I learned?

Health

If you have been following me, you know that I trained quite a bit. I trained by walking with a pack much heavier that I’m carrying now. I put a ton of miles on my feet. Because of all that, I have had no foot pain and more importantly, no blisters! My stretching exercises have helped as well. I have not needed any Vitamin-I for the past three days!

As I’m from a flat part of the United States, I was concerned that climbs would be an issue. I go much slower, but there is no residual soreness. Electrolytes have been key. The cramps I had the first day were terrible. Adding something to the water eliminated cramps.

Knowing how to wear your pack is important. I spent a couple of hours learning how to use the straps on my ULA Catalyst. Knowing that shoulder straps should not rest on your shoulders makes a big difference. All the weight of the pack should be on your hips. I have had no shoulder or back pain.

Speaking of that, I’ve lost some serious weight in just one week. Eating more regimented and hours of exercise works. I do not have time to think about food.

Gear

I’ve lost one piece of gear, my emergency whistle. I will buy one when I can.

I have neither added or removed anything. I’m thinking about adding a full sized foam pad and dumping the camp seat. The camp seat is great, but I want to lay down. If I get rid of my t-shirt and camp seat for a foam pad, there should be no change in base weight.

Other than moving stuff around, by gear is the right gear for me.

Water

While the miles haven’t taken a toll on my, the heat and dry air has. I was told that people generally hiked five miles per liter. I am not. I need to carry more than most. I key for me is to get up early and hike in the cool air. If I can get ten miles before ten, that would go a long way towards increasing my miles.

Food

I completely lost the taste for coffee. That is very weird to say, but it is true. I do not even like the smell of it. Strangely, I didn’t have any withdraw symptoms. I guess I just don’t need caffeine. I have been trading my coffee for electrolytes.

Kindness

There is so many people who are willing to help you. The trail simply provides.

Goals

We are going slower than expected, but we are gaining strength. It was interesting to see all my classmates in Julian who pushed hard here healing up. I’m just resting and recharging, but I have no physical issues.

I’d like to get ourselves up to 18 miles a day in a week or two. Although we don’t have a schedule, we don’t want to become lazy, or caught in the vortex of civilization. This is a race. I need to be done by October 1st. I’d like to be home by September 26th if I can as that is my anniversary.

Fortunately, I feel bored and restless in this hotel. I’m ready to return to the trail!

Started: Camp Site (64.0)
Ended: Scissors Crossing (77.0)
Total: 13.0 miles

Our goal today again was to get up early to put up some miles before the heat. The sooner we complete 13 miles, we reach Scissors Crossing and can hitch into the cool town of Julian. In Julian, there is good food, beer, a shower and laundry! Plus, all PCT hikers get a free slice of pie! I was packed and on trail by 5:30 a.m.

I’m glad that I left early, because the trail started to scorch by nine. By eleven, all climbs were at my peril. I found some relief in a little next of grass under two bushes. Although the bushes were all spiky, it turned the wind into a wonderful sweat drying breeze!

I had to stay on guard through most of the hike, because the path was very thin, and it was a long way down if I made a misstep! Occasionally, I would run into obstacles like rocks or thorny bushes that required me to lean over the edge. This is not a hike for someone who is afraid of heights!

Keep in mind that we are in the middle of a 25 mile no water carry. I was down to just one liter with five miles to go. Fortunately, those last miles were on flat ground. It was hellishly hot, but my pack was light, so with some good tunes I powered through at full speed. There was no sense leaving anything in the tank for later.

At the Scissors Crossing bridge, there is a water cache that was considered the only reliable cache on the entire PCT. I was completely out of water and quite parched, so I consumed a liter in record time. I didn’t want to drink too much. Some hikers depend on this water as they are skipping Julian.

Fishtank and Brian hitched. I called for a Lyft, while waiting with to older hikers, M&M and Two Soles. These two hikers absolutely rock. Slow and steady, they do not stop. While we waited, Ghost, a famous trail angel, came by and picked us up. He refused money for gas and we received a guided tour of the little town.

In town I checked into the Julian Gold Rush Hotel. I am staying in the General Grant room. It is a bit more expensive, but they do your laundry. For $60, I have clean clothes, a clean body and a full stomach. After six days in the desert without a shower, the little bottle of shampoo was not enough to clean my short hair. I was that disgusting.

I supported Carmen’s, a hiker friendly restaurant that will be closing soon while waiting for my laundry. Until it was done, I cruised around town wearing my just my laundry shorts, outer shell and shoes with no socks. I am truly living the hiker lifestyle.

Now in clean clothes, Brian and I had a couple of beers at the local brew pub, followed by some Italian for dinner. I think hiker hunger is beginning to kick in.

The plan tomorrow is to take one more wonderful shower, eat breakfast, buy lunch, snacks and some breakfast bars for two days, and leave for the trail by noon. I still have two dinners left. We have another long stretch with little water. Warner Springs is 32 miles away where I’ll pick up a box for the next five days.

Started: Penny Pines (48.7)
Ended: Camp Site (64.0)
Total: 15.3 miles

Our day today starts with a 25 mile no water carry. I’m not strong enough to do that in a day, and my biggest weakness so far has been the heat. I know that it isn’t even hot yet! I proposed trying to do a ten-by-ten. That is ten miles by ten in the morning. By starting our hike in the early morning, our water needs will be less.

Fishtank and I got up at 4 a.m. and we were on the trail by 4:30. We moved quickly in the cool dark morning air. Unfortunately, we crossed the 50 mile point, but we didn’t see it. When the sun rose, we stopped for breakfast.

We reached our last water point and loaded up with eight liters. The plan was to stop around 11 a.m. for lunch.

I hiked alone for most of the morning. The views were incredible. The views were the reason I chose the PCT over the AT. This is what I dreamed about when I fantasized about hiking this holy ground. I even reached the point of the photo I use for my webpage!

Despite my best efforts, I could only muster eight miles by 10 a.m., so I still have some work to do. I was feeling great, but I found a comfortable shady stop. Jamie from Wisconsin joined me. After a rest and a snack, I started again, but I was exposed to the sun and it sucked all my energy. I went from a full tank to an empty tank in short order.

Fishtank caught up to me, but I still needed to rest. I sat for a while longer. Eventually, I garnered enough strength to meet up at where we agreed to eat like lunch.

Fishtank rigged some Tyvek with bungy cords to make some shade. So, we baked under some makeshift shade. I huddled next to a bunch of people I just met a couple of days ago. We all stink like hell, but I am happy.

We were back up about three in the afternoon and went back to hiking. Candice, the sweet person who helped me the first day caught up with the rest of us. I hiked with her for a while.

We reached a campsite for five, so we stopped there. I could have continued once the sun started to go down, but this this is where we are at.

Tomorrow we will hitch into Julian. We’ll probably zero.

Started: Mount Laguna (42.0)
Ended: Penny Pines (48.7)
Total: 6.7 + 5 bonus miles

Today was going to be a lazy day. Fishtank had a box at the Mount Laguna Post Office, and that did not open until noon. A bunch of us met at the Pine House Cafe and Tavern. The breakfast was excellent. It was good to get something not freeze dried in my stomach.

It was good to see some of the faces we have come to know there. It is a good resting spot to recharge and resupply for the next portion.

Yuri, the hiker I met at the train station in San Diego and the person who made some rude comments about my ability to hike and my gear choices, was kicked out of the restaurant. There was a sign there that clearly said, “Do not charge your phone with this outlet.” Needless to say, he pulled it down and did it anyways. The rest of the hiker community gave him the stink eye. No one wishes to hike with anyone like that.

At noon, Fishtank received his box and he has more food than he needs. I didn’t need to resupply yet, but I took his leftovers. He is very generous.

I prayed for someone I could hike with. God gave me someone who is in the exact same situation as me, except he is conservative and I’m liberal, because God has a wonderful sense of humor. Still, we get along well that when we hike, I just need to look at him to know when to go faster or to rest.

The hike was short. We started in the afternoon, and we returned to where we left off. Many people just went through the town. They missed some amazing views. Despite a short day, some of the photos I took were the best ever. I’ll resolve that when I can.

Tomorrow is going to be difficult. We have 25 miles of no water we must get through. It is going to be a tough slog.

Here are some other photos I took:

Started; Boulder Oaks Camp Ground (26.0)
Ended: Mount Laguna (42.0)
Total: 16.0 Miles

We didn’t sleep well last night. There were some campers talking and drinking until 1 am. Jason yelled at them, but even that didn’t work.

When I first got out of my tent, everything was moist. I was glad that I didn’t cowboy camp! A fog came in during the middle of the night.

Jason and I have started to break down duties. I plan the day, mostly because I struggle the most with water. Jason is from an arid state and I am not. I just need more water than he does. He has a box in Mount Laguna, so that was our goal for the day.

I had a good internet connection and the weather report said a high of 67, so I was comfortable making a big push. That meant we would hike at night with our head lamps if we needed to. Postholer rates this section a difficulty of 8.7 out of ten. It has multiple climbs of 2000 feet, including a brutal climb out of Fred’s Canyon.

The initial hike went very well. Although it was difficult, along the way there was many trail angels offering oranges, Snickers, and cold drinks.

We hiked until lunch and laid out our wet gear to dry as we rested. It may have been 67 degrees in Mount Laguna, but it certainly wasn’t 67 degrees where we were.

At the base of Fred’s Canyon, there is a cool spot. Most of the hikers were congregating down there. We committed a tactical error and muddled past.

We ended up hiking for seven miles in the heat of the day uphill the whole way. It was brutal. We stopped a number of times. Eventually we reached our water source. A cool spring is an amazing reward. Jason and I rested and pounded down a liter.

Refreshed, we had a choice. It was 4 p.m. It was cooling off. We had 4 miles and 1,500 feet to go. It would be painful, but the reward would be a hot meal in a restaurant.

I yelled, “Tonight. We dine in Mount Laguna!”

I am happy to say that it was some of the sloppiest, profanity filled hiking ever done. Two old fat men digging into their “Old Man Strength”, passing younger stronger hikers in our wake.

We knew once we made it to the pine trees it was all down hill. We reached Mount Laguna at 7 p.m. We sprinted to the local restaurant. Okay, we didn’t sprint. We waddled. No good deed goes unpunished. The restaurant was closed. Dejected, we returned to camp and I ate bacon and mashed potatoes.

Jason needs to pick up a resupply box at the post office. I need to resupply breakfasts, lunches and snacks until we get to Julian in two days. After three days, I’m happy to say that other that general muscle soreness, I’m hiking at 100% health. We will hike a shorter day tomorrow.