Sitting here at the Saufley’s house it’s easy to forget that you’re hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. So easy, that people sometimes stay here for weeks. The Saufley’s are the hosts of Hiker Heaven. The greatest trail stop so far and likely the greatest on the whole trip. This place is absolutely incredible. As hosts, Jeff and L-Rod have opened their house to almost two thousand strangers in the past few years. And no one is treated as anything but kings and queens.

The back yard, center of activity for Agua Dulce, is abuzz with hikers. We sleep in the guest house (a full sized trailer home), an RV, large camping tents, the lawn, around the fire ring, down by the corral or on one of the 24 cots in one of the six large catering tents. There is TV, music, computers, books, magazines, a kitchen, bathrooms, the works. We get sucked in. Since it’s been Memorial Day weekend, they’ve also been feeding about 40 of us a night.

Right now I’m on my second zero. I’m waiting for the mail delivery to come in as my battery resupply package is not here. If it doesn’t arrive, I’ll probably borrow the car (“Big Red”) and head back to LA to purchase the thrity or so lithium batteries my GPS needs. Yesterday’s zero was an LA day already. I drove seven of us around to Adventure 16, REI, Office Depot and the supermarket in Northridge. Boy was I glad to get through that ordeal. A hiker already totaled one of the Saufley cars this year. We all are so greatful for the Saufley’s. Everyone uses this as a base for figuring out the next major section. The Sierra Nevada requires extras like bear cans, ice axes, warmer clothes and other things that people purchasing and sending from here. I have a new pair of shoes, bug goop, maps, zinc and other stuff being sent from here and will call in a few days for my parents to send my bear can filled with food and my ice axe and crampons. I’ve also ordered a pair of Dirty Girl Gaiters and will hopefully arrive when I get to Kennedy Meadows.

As I said, it’s easy to forget that we’re actually hiking when we’re here. My past week was superb though. I hiked from Wrightwood across the rest of the San Gabrial Mountains. It was about 90 miles and took five days. Through that time I was between packs, hiking alone and sharing the trail with only two other hikers (Snail and Rob). It was really great being out with so few others and then catching up with everyone in Agua Dulce. I had a great short first day where I topped out on Baden Powell and then camped alone high up on the ridge. My second, third and fourth days were 20 miles but they were a breeze. I hiked my own pace, breaked when I felt like, even slept in a few days. It was SO great. I met more people because I could stop and talk to them instead of pushing on to get miles. Plus, since I was on a high ridge above LA most of the week, my radio had good reception. I listened to a lot of NPR and it was really, really enjoyable. Stimulating thoughts with stimulating steps.

I met some cool old dudes while hanging out at the picnic area with Snail. They hooked us up with some great trail magic. I also met a burned out plumber with some great advice about life. We sat and talked next to a pathetic Forest Service bathroom. And right before Agua Dulce at the Vasquez Rocks formation (which looks like it belongs in Southwest Utah) a great family gave Snail and I cold drinks, shade and food.

If I don’t head out this afternoon, I’ll leave tomorrow morning. Ahead I’m looking at a 14 mile road walk, the Mojave, a long walk along the LA aqueduct and the increasing heat. But not before I get to Casa De Luna, another trail angel house (and trail party central, I hear).

 

I guess I could say I had my ups and downs in this section. I’m starting to finally recover from my ankle issue and blisters are now a non-issue. I’m fully comfortable with my equipment and have struck a sane balance with my GPS project. I’ve also met a lot of great new people who I’m now sharing trail tread and campsites with.

I’ve had a couple of too-hard days in the past week as well as some enjoyably easy ones. Two nights ago, camped just barely above the clouds on a high ridge in the San Gabriel Mountains, I figured my next few weeks. Most people are starting to push it but I’m not going to. They’re throwing 25-30 milers down. My guestimation is that if I keep doing “20s” I’ll hit the Sierra far too early. There’s only three more opportunities for zero mile days and I don’t feel like killing huge amounts of time at any of them. I’m a little over half way to the Sierra already. So, I’m excited about slowing down and mixing more 15-18 mile days into my schedule.

Some of the notable events and places of the past week include:

– Deep Creek. This desert watercourse pretty nearly qualified as a river in my book. The flow was substantial and it winds through deep canyons further shaded by large trees. It even has some stellar hot springs which had gathered about 25 hikers. The Deep Creek canyon is sadly the sight of a PCT hiker death a week or so ago. No Way Ray fell somewhere before the hotsprings. It was very easy to see how this could have happened because the trail is in trecherous shape. It’s an absolute shame that public lands are so underfunded as to make high use trails (like the PCT at Deep Creek) deadly. Sections of this trail are falling away and Ray likely won’t be the last to slip to his death if this trail isn’t fixed. There are also some short sections right before Wrightwood that are similarly falling away.

– I pulled in to Silverwood Lake after a long haul from the hot springs only to be shafted by the camping situation. Ok, I was dead tired and grumpy. But why on earth is the hike/bike campsite the absolute farthest away? We’re WALKING there. Thanks. Oh, and your bathrooms are the most disgusting I’ve seen in at least five years. I was at least glad to use a cell phone to call home. I had been worried about family for the few days previous it was a relief to make contact.

– If I keep it up, I might just develop a reputation for laziness. But it was with good reason this time. Cajon Pass is somewhat of a landmark point on the PCT and all that is there besides a busy freeway is a McDonalds. Incredibly, there is even an official PCT sign pointing out “McDonalds 0.3 miles ->”. So sitting in McDonals with a bunch of other hikers, shaking the dirt out of our shoes and spilling our water bottles on the floor, the weather report was passed around. Big rain and wind with possible snow was called for. Hotel! I say! And I won. We spent a great afternoon and night in the Best Western being fair weather hikers. Oh so nice.

– The people of Wrightwood are amazing. I’m currently staying with being overfed by an imensely kind woman and her family. There are about seven of us here and we’re being completely provided for. Thank you! Within a half an hour in town I had been showered with good vibes. A lady gave me water and a Wrightwood, CA souvenier pencil, I had many nice comments directed my way, a couple of nice conversations and was served an side of coleslaw that was so overflowing it required an extra plate. Thanks!

Next is on to Agua Dulce, the real Mojave and more trail stink. Lovin’ it!

A few nights ago I was sleeping on top of a ridge at close to nine thousand feet. I was all alone, under a beautiful Jeffery Pine, enjoying the first cool night in a while. Then I heard it. A roar? What the hell is that? I looked around but I could tell it was coming from far below. What on earth? Then it happened again. And again. Can mountain lions make that sound? It sounds like more than one animal. What the??

I didn’t figure out what it was until last night. Sitting in the awesome Nature’s Inn in Big Bear City another hiker was talking about those sounds. He however had made the connection that what we heard came from the exotic animal retirement compound that we had just passed. Somewhere on the trail before Big Bear, you come across a small community of retired Hollywood actors and actresses. It was these lions, tigers and bears that were sending my blood pressure racing the night before.

This little tidbit reminds me of something I came up with on the trail yesterday. “Breathe deep and let the trip, trip you.” I sure did get tripped up by the forest sounds that night. I’ll keep listening and looking hoping that it happens again soon.

Of things that I crave while on the trail, quotes are the most difficult to satisfy. We have a lot of time to think out here. A LOT of time. And there is something fantastic about the out of doors that let’s one philosophize. But my own attempts aren’t always as insightful as what other’s have thought before. A teacher of mine once said that writing helps place one’s own thoughts. So, if anyone out there in cyberspace has great quotes (mostly on nature, walking, traveling, etc) I’d love it if you posted them in my guestbook. Muir is great but he’s just so quotable so if you have anything by other authors it was be appreciated greatly.

Otherwise, the hike has been fantastic. It’s an absurdly incredible trip to take off and walk, day after day. See new things, meet new people (lots of them!), get trail love (my name for trail “magic”), and push your own physical and mental limits. I have indeed by pushing hard on those limits. I’ve limped the past 70 miles. Some sort of ankle use injury is hampering my stride. The sides of my left heel bone are tender but the tendons and ligaments feel fine. Range of motion is fine. Everything is fine. But it HURTS to walk. The past two days though the situation my have improved a tad. At least now I can warm up my injury and walk without compensating. So I’ve been trying not to take breaks so that I don’t experience pain on restarting. I’m taking a zero today and possibly one tomorrow for the sole purpose of resting my feet. With a half day of rest already my ankle is feeling a little better but the limp is still there but now from an overly tight calf muscle. I’ll head back to the hotel soon for ice, hot tub, and stretching. Still, I walk. It’s so worth it.

Other notable things. The much feared Fuller Ridge was a cake walk. The decent down off of it was not. That section of trail loses about 7000 feet and it’s absurdly poorly designed. You walk mile long switch backs through three foot high, rattle snake infested grass, in absurd heat, without water, without losing ANY ELEVATION. That SUCKS. I propose that this section be redone so that you actually lose elevation. Make the trail steeper for god sake!

Camp that night near the windmills after San Gorgonio Pass was pretty crappy. It was too hot to sleep. I had seen too many snakes that day. It was too windy. The moon was too bright. I was too dehydrated and exhausted. And the idiot locals shooting guns at snakes a couple of hundred feet away didn’t help either.

Mission Creek was beautiful. Especially the upper stretches of the east fork. I love desert rivers with Cottonwood trees.

I greatly enjoyed the Pinon forests before Big Bear. I had never been in such extensive Pinon Pine forests.

The people. The people are great. I’m a little sad that the people I’ve been with the past week will move on ahead of me but trying to keep their pace was leading to injury. I’ll be rejoining the crowd that was just a little behind me.

I love this trail! I sure hope my foot feels better soon.

 

Just a quick note as Sleeping Beauty is outside watching my pack and I’m worried that he’ll fall asleap.

I camped on top of the Rodriguez Water Tank last night, a beautiful night filled with great converstation, with Haiku, Chance, and Morgan. The hike has been superb so far. My body has been feeling good even though I pushed myself a little with the 21 miles yesterday. BUT, I’ve got some serious blisters now and it’s taking some of the fun out of walking. I can’t wait for them to heel. I have blisters on both pinky toes, near my big toes and on my heel. OUCH! Don’t have much choice but to push on with them to Warner Springs and rest there. In a few minutes I’m going to hitch back to the trail and dry camp somewhere on the 20+ mile stretch to the next water.

Much Love,
Jack