PCT Day 9

Day 9 - 23miles

I'm up for 5am and walking by 5:30am. I'd spent the night sleeping on and off. My mind for no reason deciding to have a massive conversation with itself. I'm slow to get going but this is mainly as I get 4g and video call back home as I walk down the 4000ft Fuller Ridge. It takes ages. It already hot by 8am... I have breakfast which consists of a packet of crushed biscuits.

I want to get to the next water source by lunch which is 16 miles away. I brush by large desert flowers and bushes laden with Bees. Trying not to disturb them I whizz by but I'm not exactly agile with my pack on. I have enough water to get me down but my knees and feet are taking a constant pounding. I make 15 miles by 11am and find a massive shady rock to take shelter under - I'm a mile away so I wait for midday heat to pass. I have enough water and cool off. This has been the hottest day so far. I read ahead in my guide book of what is to come and eat more biscuits. I don't know what to expect in the Sierras. Out here is totally different to anything in the UK. I'm going to need a bear canister and possibly an ice axe which I've never wielded before.

 I venture out briefly and the intense rays burn me. I nap for a while and eventually decide to brave the sun just before 3pm. I speed down the last 1 mile to the water tap and hide in the shade of a large rock - I fit but only just. I fill a bottle and down it with fruit flavourings. I brush my teeth, top up my water and off I go. It's a long slog of a road followed by walking through deep sand into the wind, my hat tries to take flight several times. I want to check I'm going in the right direction. I know I must be but my paranoia sets in. Then my English phone won't turn on, maybe it's overheated? A long freight train rolls by and I pass under the bridge as it rattles along above me. I see a PCT badge which confirms I'm going in the right direction. Underneath to my delight a trail angel has left a Dr Pepper, despite this trail magic site begin targeted by vandals they've continued to supply the cooler box. I down it with ease happy to be drinking something with a lot of flavour.

I continue walking and aim to be at the Mesa wind farm before night fall. I pass a hiker box left by locals and descend upon it. My food rations are becoming depleted and I can't top up till Big Bear. I scoop out some pinto beans and mixed vegetables. The pinto beans I find out later are just plain beans with no tomato sauce. Since I don't have a tin opener I hammer at the rim with my pen knife like a ravenous cave woman. Even though they taste incredibly bland I eat them anyway and march on. A random black hatchback pulls over on the road a little down the slope from me. I stare unsure as to why they're there. They do nothing as I walk on hoping to gain ground as the temperature has now cooled.

I zone out and enter my own world and suddenly hear a hissing. I turn and see a small rattlesnake arching and uncoiling itself. I don't stop and quicken my pace. Baby rattlesnakes are extremely deadly as they can't control how much venom they give to a victim and often dispense a fatal amount. It thankfully doesn’t race after me. I walk on slowly devouring my flavourless beans as I ascend. Round a corner I find a lone hiker. I had wondered when I’d come across someone. After following so many peoples steps in the sand I thought I was bound to come across someone. This guy was called Shaun and was from Texas. We chatted briefly both exhausted by the heat and day of walking. I asked if I could camp next to him and set up my little tent. I catch up on my journal surrounded by the wind farm and their chorus of whistling and whirring. I was quite glad to have company to night even if Shaun wasn’t too talkative heading to bed after half an hour. We chill in the evenings twilight enjoying the solace its brought us. Perching I watch the 50 plus wind turbines, 29 of which were spinning successfully and once again the moon shines down casting a white aura over everything.

Day 10 Here

PCT Day 8

Day 8 - 15miles

Up and walking by 5:45 am. It's a pleasant start to the day as I snake my way around the bends in the rocky hill. A morning rabbit is ahead of me bounding along the trail. It isn't too hot yet which is lucky. The inner corners of the path are refreshingly chilling to walk into. It's a gradual climb which then turns into a single path to the road; at the end of which is the Paradise café. I'm their first customer and order a large orange juice and 3 pancakes. I'm so full after they swell in my stomach but so happy too. I message my friend parents in-law who I'll been staying with come early July. I remain still waiting for the pancakes to settle. After charging my items and procrastinating a bit too long I plucked up the courage to hitch hike.

I write up a hitching sign and head to the main road. It's super hot but head to the road side feeling optimistic. The first car is a red car and I can see it speeding towards me. I hold out my sign, my thumb and smile meekly. The car pulls over immediately.

 Well that was easier than I thought. 

I pick up my bag and run over. Inside is a friendly man who signals that I put my bag in the back . His name is Thomas but goes by the name of Black Mountain due to his native heritage. He has long black head in plaits with leather and beads interwoven in them. He says he often picks up hitchers as he likes to help. He's in the area to go hiking as his wife wants him out the house and he attempts that he needs to shed a few pounds. He's a jolly man and we have a good conversation. He is only going half way so we shake hands and I hitch again.

A few cars pass by until a large hatchback (all cars are huge) pulls over. It's blaring out music and every seat is filled. I look closer and it's the trio of hikers from yesterday; one girl called Pop Tart and a father and son - the son Jeff is hiking the trail again after getting a hernia last year and had to bow out half way up California. I clamber inside and we speed off to Idyllwild frequently doing double the speed limit. We slide around in the back seats which are made of leather as he whizzes round corners. He over takes a little motorbike which gladly pulls over. We arrive and our driver offers to drive us to a second supermarket if want. We politely decline. The store is pretty barren but were able to resupply. I chat with Poptart briefly who is 27 and from North Carolina. She did the AT last year. She completes her shopping and jets off to the post office. I'm left to wander the dusty shelves and stock up with way too much sugar. To get back on the trail I decide to head up a track called Deer Springs Trail which is 5 miles in total to the PCT. It's slow going in the midday heat, luckily there is plenty of shade but still it takes me all afternoon.

I don't stop hiking till I get to the water source - North fork San Jacinto River which I reach at 4 pm. I clamber downstream on the rocks and wash my clothes and myself as best I can. I drink 2 liters while I'm there. After an hour I walk on, my backpack is so heavy when I sling it back on I nearly topple sideways. The walk to the top is long and slow, least tomorrow it's downhill - all 6000ft of downhill. I take my time and receive amazing views from the top. I see a valley of wind turbines in my direction of travel. I pass through a forest of tall pine trees, little patches of snow are present here and there.

Lizards and chipmunks scatter about and birds fly above. I make it to the top and begin the appreciated descent. I only go down 2000ft and make camp. I have a gorgeous view over the valley and after pitching my tent I still in the stillness and marvel at where I am. I can see the sun setting over a city, the haze and cloud trying to overpower each other. It takes me ages to fall asleep as my brain won't switch off and I think of things I want to accomplish. Shh brain sleep.

Day 9 Here

PCT Day 7

Day 7 - 25 miles

I wake just before my alarm and get up to a damp tent and sleeping bag - condensation. I pack up and I'm hiking for 5:45. I eat an apple and muffins as I walk. The sun is already up and makes an appearance over the sleeping valley, a layer of low hanging cloud hovers over the greenery. I walk following the trail bend round the mountains curves and suddenly smell incense. I see Robyn warming up in the sunlight sitting inside his little encampment. He's burning coils of incense to he insects away.

"You're up early" he says smiling at my eagerness

"I want to beat the sun"

I wave goodbye and hike on. I want to get to the next decent water source by midday so I can wait out the midday heat with a drink. It's 16 miles away so I've got to get a wiggle on. I stop by a water tank supplied by a trail angel and top up my water and brush my teeth. The heat is really beginning to pick up now and my brain begins to count down the miles one by one.

7 miles, 6 miles, 5, 4, 3.5, 3,

I take a break in the shade and down a liter. My feet are so hot and have swelled due to the heat. I let them breath and eat a king-sized packet of Doritos. I haven't peed yet which isn't good. I check my GPS and guide book. 3 miles to go. I heave my pack back on and hike out the last hour. The next water was Tule spring and 400 yards off the trail. I keep an eye out for a turning and followed a path down the hill hoping it to be the correct one. I then find 2 girls waiting out the heat. One from Canada and one from Chicago. We swap the usual trail talk and I fill up 2 water bottles and join them waiting out the heat. I yard-sale my stuff in the heat and am amaze to find that it's already dry from the intense heat regardless of being trapped in my bag.

After a little while I manage to pee and 3 other hikers join us; 2 of which are hoping to complete the PCT in 3 months = 30 miles a day! They obviously don't hang around for long and chill for 15 mins before jetting off again. I complete my chores, camel up and then hike off again. I manage to pee again! It's 15 miles to Paradise Cafe which is where I want to be tomorrow. From there I'll try to hitch-hike to Idyllwild as a small section of the trail is closed due to a forest fire there last year. I hike on and somehow manage to catch and pass the three hikers. I motor through the next 10 miles, giving me an easy 5 mile hike tomorrow morning. I'll even get a lie-in as the cafe doesn't open till 8 am. I'm that deep in my thoughts that I pass by a little black snake and don't realize it's there till I hear it tumble from it's hiding place. It tumbles down the midi bank and stays coiled up protectively. We stare at each other under I move on. I reach my 10 miles and bed down in a cove of trees. I fall asleep with ease hearing the yell of coyotes somewhere out in the wilderness. I have a lovely view over the entire valley. I watch it in the twilight as the sun has just set.

Day 8 Here