Day 3 (Continued)
Okay I have a confession. Following on from the Campo to Mt Laguna post, we did something a little naughty. We *may have* missed a few PCT miles. We didn’t hitch though, we still walked but we took a road to accommodate carrying that tasty 6 pack to the campground where we paid some quarters for hot showers (exciting) and camped with our new-found friends. The beer was delicious bit we did miss some good views. Luckily we were rewarded with plenty more the next day.
Day 4
We decided that in order to restore our pride we would have a big day of 20 miles again. It started off with some killer views, e.g.
We had a break to get more water about 5 miles in, Lorelei made us have lunch…even though it was only 10:30. Our new friends ‘Bush Tit’ and ‘Tom Tit’ (the latter name being dubbed by Jacob) also advised that Lorelei would now be called ‘Cashmere’ due to her unique tendency to carry a cashmere scarf that she found on a tram (and was advised by the driver to keep). Cashmere is perhaps overly obsessed with clothing item.
Then with Mt Laguna fading into the distance we walked another 13 miles (6 with loooots of water, like 7 litres) fussed over the perfect dinner spot and then had a delicious feast of rehydrated instant mashed potatoes and a Backpacker’s Pantry Pad Thai. Man food tastes good when you are hiking.
We walked another two miles after dinner and made camp on a little hill. This camp was a little “different”. Everything got covered with grass seeds, we struggled to wash the incredible amount of dirt off our legs at the dry camp, and had a restless sleep after a skunk lurked outside our tent just before sleep. To make things worse Cashmere kept thinking mice were trying to get into our packs to steal our food all night. Sometimes that happens when you camp.
Day 5
We knew the elevation would be dropping on Day 5 and hate walking in heat so woke up at 5:30am to start hiking. We have been finding early morning wake ups like this to enable lovely cool walking with great light, though it is hard to get ready in the cold desert air.
At first the walk was just lovely. But then Jacob started complaining of chafe. For the record we both have bad chafe now. I (Cashmere) have been hiking in a skirt most days to try and help this. Jake has also generally followed suit and has been hiking with my sarong as a skirt. This morning he had started in shorts, but then had to switch back to the sarong…which was, despite some painstaking work, still covered in stabby grass seeds from camp. We kept walking. I was hoping for another 20 miles although my now swelling feet had come to have 2 blisters on the heals…but I have sneakers a size bigger than my usual waiting for me in Warner Springs (mile 109.5)…I just have to walk there. Then Jacob said his left shin was hurting and feeling like he has weird shin splints.
At mile 77 or so is ‘Scissors Crossing’ where this year you need to go to society (an RV park 4 miles down the road) or to the town of Julian (13 miles down the road) to get more water for the 14-34 dry miles ahead. We had planned to just hit the RV park and walk another 10 miles (20 for the day). However we decided to head to Julian due to Jake’s problems. My blisters were also fine with this plan:)
After some hitching and walking we got a ride in a truck with an interesting firearm enthusiast who set off tasers in the ride and encouraged us to carry a taser or firearm on the trail, just in case. He also described in detail the pains a woman who was killed by a cougar went through before dying. Nice.
Oh Julian. Our friend Enduro said he had wrote us a note in the PCT book at Mom’s Pies, where they also give PCT hikers a free slice of pie and a drink. Nice! What wonderful owners!
We hit that deliciousness up then made some phone calls and found the Julian Hotel gives hikers a discount to stay plus does a load of laundry for you (they seemed surprisingly okay with how gross our stuff was too), an afternoon tea, and a 2 course breakfast. Plush beds and a trip to the local brewery makes Cashmere never want to leave. But we need to get back to the trail, to make our way toward Canada, and bigger shoes first. We’ll see first if Jake’s legs are ready for more walking or if we will need to take a zero…we will head to the RV park if so to save $, after all we have only walked 77 miles so far. Many more to go.
Thanks for checking in!