Day 43 – 4 May 19. Back in the Mountains and Deer visit at dinner
I woke up much later than usual on the trail but felt like I had a good sleep. Once again the temperature was pleasant and I had slept with both tent flaps open. I felt like I was packing up really slow but wasn’t much slower than normal.
Just as I was finishing up one of the hikers who stayed at Brenda’s place went by. Unfortunately I had not had a chance to talk to him so did not know his name or nationality.
The trail was flat for less than 20 meters before starting a climb. It was switchbacked and actually a lot easier than it looked.
Then the trail climbed along the side of a hill for a while before crossing a saddle, through the loudest gate of the trail.
Heading down the other side there were patches of vegetation. When I was nearly half a km away I heard the gate opening.
I stopped for a break, keeping to my plan of more regular rest stops while my pack was heavy. Just as I was thinking about moving on Cruise Control appeared. I had last seen him and Logan at dinner in Agua Dulce. Logan appeared shortly after and they also stopped for a break so I could catch up with what they had been doing. The most exciting part was the Cougar that Cruise Control saw. They had also enjoyed a Zero at Tehachapi and had even jumped in Brenda’s van as I got out to get Thai for lunch but they did not end up staying with Brenda as she was too full.
I continued on as the trail went into more open terrain now, along the side of a hill then veering off to the right and dropping slightly which had me concerned enough to check my map. It was fine and switch backed shortly after heading around the hill through some lovely patches of forest. Cruise Control had caught me as I checked the map and slowly gained distance on me whenever I stopped to take photos or video. There had been several of the long tailed lizards for the short downhill and they were amusing me by racing down the track in front of me before shooting off to the side
The trail went across a meadow and there was a strange looking tank off to the side. I could not work out what it was but it looked slightly like a giant toilet.
One across the hill was steeper that the trail went along and the ground was a bit more rocky.
Hill I was about to climb is on the skyline
At one stage I could see ahead and saw the trail going up a large hill. I was hoping it was one of those hills that look imposing from a distance but are easy when you get to them. It was actually worse than it looked. It was a continual climb at a gradient much steeper than normal. I was sweating heavily by the time I got to the top which has not happened often on this trail. Just for more fun there were a few false summits before getting near the top and starting to go along the side of the hill again.
This part was made challenging as there was a lot of trees across the trail and in some parts the trail was very difficult to determine as there were so many trees down.
Once through the worst I stopped for a break and after 5 minutes Logan went past. The trail continued along the side of the hill until heading up to a pass.
Just short of the pass I met three guys who were doing trail maintenance. They had brought chainsaws on their horses and were about to start clearing deadfall. It is a huge task and I made sure to thank them for their work. People in the next few days and weeks will benefit from their work.
At the pass Logan was taking a break and I had a micro break, sitting vey briefly, before continuing. It was now another steep hill that led up to another saddle and over the other side. Not far over the other side was a tree bent over like an arch which led to a field of purple flowers. There had not been many flowers so this was something special.
As it had been hotter than usual, and there had been a lot of climbing, I had drunk more water than usual and was now implementing rationing as there was still another 6 miles (9.6 km) from there until the next water.
The trail was back in forest, though it alternated between some pines and other types of trees. It was nice walking.
I came around the corner and saw Cruise Control in a nice spot having lunch. While I would have liked to have had more water at lunch I decided to stop as I still needed the energy to make it to the water source. We chatted and aired our feet out as we ate. He was having a hot meal and I had my usual assortment of snacks. Logan came past and decided to keep going.
I left with the next milestone of the 600 mile mark in 1.5 miles. This seemed to take ages to get to. The trail continued on the side of the hill, dropping slightly, until coming out at a dirt road and then climbing steeply. The marker was in pine cones this time.
After the obligatory photo I continued with the spring my new target 1 mile away. This last mile seemed to take forever.
Finally I came out at the road and the sign to the springs, only 100 yards away. Logan was at the junction and told me the water source was good.
I rushed down the road and was pleased to see a good flow of water coming out of a pipe into a bathtub, or at least that is what it looked like. I filtered a litre and drank half of it immediately before starting too fill my water bottles and periodically drink. I took my time and had a snack. Cruise Control turned up also really pleased to see the water as he had been in a similar position to me.
I left him to it and headed back up to the junction and then back on the PCT. The trail climbed but at a nice gradient. After crossing a road it followed the side of the hill, downhill first then just following the contours. It was full pine here which was nice. The rest of the day was in pine and occasional rocky areas.
After 2 miles there was a stream and then it was regular little streams every mile or so.
I was enjoying this part but was starting to feel tired. I filled up at a spring. The spring was full of water but it was stagnant so I went above it to the trickles dripping from the bank above.
I had planned at stopping at a campsite shown on Guthooks but passed it before I realised. I filled up at the next water source ready for camp. Not long afterwards I spied a flat spot above the trail beside some large rocks. It was perfect so I put up my tent and got into my evening routine.
When I went to the toilet I looked down and realised Cruise Control and Logan were set up below me, about 50 meters further on from where I left the trail.
Once my tent is up normally I would start transferring my photos from my camera to my phone but as this is a long section I am not doing that to save power. I also turn on my satellite phone and send my night location update to my Mum in New Zealand.
Next is boiling a cup of water to add to dinner and while the dinner sits in a foil pouch cooking I inflate my mattress. My inflation bag had a hole in it but I replaced this in Tehachapi and the new one is great. It is a 8 gallon plastic bag with a bottom corner cut out. This goes over the mattress valve and is held in place by a rubber band. High tech expensive setup – not.
Then I eat dinner. Afterward I type my blog while snacking and then edit the days video. If there is still time after that I read for a while.
Today after I inflated my mattress I was starting to get my sleeping bag out of the dry bag when I looked down the hill and saw a deer. I was surprised it was so close as I had been making a racket inflating my mattress. I watched it and then saw there was a second one. When they were out of sight I got up and walked over where they had one and managed to watch them some more. Pretty neat to see them so peaceful, not running away like normal.
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