Day 14 20.60 PCT miles – 21.1 actual, stayed at Holcomb Creek
Day 15 21.00 PCT miles – stayed a couple miles from Deep Creek Hot Springs
Day 16 22.00 PCT miles – 24 actual, stayed at Silverwoods Lake Campsite
Day 17 14.00 PCT miles – 17 actual, Best Western in Cajon Pass, CA
Day 18 21.00 PCT miles – bivyed .5 miles before campsite, trying to stay out of wind, super windy on top of the mountain
Day 19 20.25 PCT miles – 22.25 actual, bivy at 8,638 ft near Mt. Badon-Powell
Day 20 23.23 PCT miles – stayed on the ridge above Mill Creek, CA
Day 21 19.00 PCT miles – stayed at North Fork Ranger Station
Day 22 ? Hiked to KOA
I was able to get some much needed rest at Big Bear, a cool little ski town with a great brewery. I had some cool conversations with a few different people at the brewery. I left Beardo and Sweet Pea at the hostel. Wonderful hike … found out I have allergies, was coughing and spitting until Lid gave me an antihistamine that he took for his asthma. Hopefully, that holds me over until town.
Wanted to make it to the hot springs, but then read where there is an amoeba there, so I stopped beforehand. I was thinking that I might have missed a cool night but then I heard it was a bunch of cock and balls running all over the place; so it’s okay that I missed it. To confirm that it was okay I missed it, as I walked thru at about 7:30 am there were two naked guys just chillin’.
Made it to Silverwoods camp site where I managed to avoid the camping fee. Glid hooked me up with a Coors Lite. I drank it appreciatively, even though I am a beer snob. We also had pizza delivered which was amazing! I will try not to talk that much about food but that’s all I think about.
There was a section near a spillway with a possibility of quicksand, so I did the appropriate thing and acted like I was eating until someone passed me. Then I followed them thru the area. It was for their safety, of course. I could pull them out of the quicksand, if they needed help.
Made it to Cajon Pass where I shared a room at the Best Western. I am planning out my 28 mile waterless hike tomorrow. The downside is I already have 5ish days of food in my pack. My plans to hike the 28 mile section are:
1) Stay in town and hike out at night.
2) Pee in my bottles and drink the pee, if necessary.
3) Wake up early and do an alpine start.
If you notice drinking pee came before waking up early. Yep that’s how much I dislike waking up early! Maybe that’s why I haven’t climbed that many mountains! What I did was actually none of the above; I slept in and walked through the heat carrying a lot of water. It was heavy! Gained 6,000 ft in elevation and ran out of water 7 miles from the water source. Still didn’t have to drink my pee. It was a successful day!
Not much sleep last night; super windy. Woke up in the clouds and it was still windy, gusts would knock you sideways. Tomorrow have to do a reroute for an endangered species trail closure. What are the odds of stepping on this endangered frog, if he is endangered?? The probability has to be low. I have to walk 20 miles around what would otherwise be a 4ish mile hike. I usually support this kind of stuff but 4 miles vs. 20, I am not a fan! I found a road that went around the frog and only added a couple miles so all was good for the frog and me.
Gave a hiker who was out of food one of my meals.
A section hiker going south stopped me on the trail and said, “I give thru hikers a choice of coffee, chips, or caramel.” Where was the choice?? He mentioned coffee, who’s not going to take coffee?? I opened the instant Starbucks coffee and poured it strait into my mouth then took a swig of water saying, “thanks”, I continued down the trial.
Adventures Of The Average Joe 