Happy Trails

I'm not really sure how to write this post. It's one I never planned on writing. 

I left Agua Dulce yesterday...in a car.  I am off the trail. I woke up this morning at my parents' house and tomorrow I will fly home. 

My PCT experience was one I will never forget. There were some great moments, but they were not enough to mask the monotony and loneliness I felt on the trail. As my enjoyment diminished, I felt a growing need to be home. I missed Tom and the boys and the dogs and my pillow and cold soda and...  My decision to hike was a selfish one and when the scale begin to tip away from enjoyment and towards the impact it was having on my family and what I was missing at home, it became harder to focus on the trail. Even when my sister was hiking with me, I many times felt alone and bored with the hike. 

My expectations and reality were not in sync. Knowing it was an especially high volume year for hikers on the PCT, I had thought it would be hard to find an available tent site or even sneak behind a tree for some business without being seen. In reality I was alone most days and camped alone most nights. That's a lot of solitude for a "people person"!

I kept thinking I would adjust to the loneliness, or connect with other like-minded hikers. I did meet some great people, and leapfrogged with them on the trail. It just wasn't the same as a bond or relationship. At the end of the day, no one knew or cared if you were safe or accounted for. Maybe that escapism is appealing to other hikers. I just felt alone. 

I stuck with the trail in spite of these thoughts, knowing it was a good learning experience for me and that I would maybe adjust. I also didn't want to pull the plug too soon, before I fully experienced life on the trail. I honestly feel that I have a pretty firm understanding of the life of a thru-hiker. Yes, the scenery would change, the weather would change, and the other hikers within a day of you might change, but the day-in day-out head down solitary life would be a constant. 

I am pleased with how well my body responded to the physical stress of the hike. No blisters except for one deep tissue blister that was absorbed. Of course there was some pain and soreness, but my body held up well and was always ready to hike in the morning...albeit after a slow start most times!

The PCT will probably hold a spot in my heart forever. I would enjoy being involved in it in some way again. Maybe the life of a trail angel would suit me better!  I may get the shot at that later this summer when I plan to be in the Pacific Northwest. 

I feel some disappointment but I have confidence I made the right decision to abandon my quest for a PCT thru-hike. Thank you for your encouragement, support and for following along on my adventure. 

Thanks, Double D

Thru-hiking is exhausting!  My daily mileage didn't suffer a bit and I gained the much-appreciated companionship of my sister these last 85 miles. Not too many people could jump on the trail and hike along with the thru-hikers without missing a step. Very impressive!  She earned the respect of the hikers...and a spot to nap at Hiker Heaven. 

Hiker Heaven (aka The Saufley's)

Double D and I put ourselves in a great position to get to Agua Dulce early today by extending our hiking day yesterday. We just had ten miles to hike today. The first few were much like the last few yesterday.  We knew we needed to cross a freeway but the trail kept taking us lower than the road. I joked that there would be a tunnel way down low under the road. Well, wouldn'tcha know, there was a tunnel way below the freeway!  Cool!

Before reaching Agua Dulce, we walked through the Vasquez Rocks. These rock formations, caused by a fault line, have been featured in many movies including many westerns and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. 

No sooner had we left the Vasquez Rocks than we entered Agua Dulce. It's a small desert town with a variety of houses, most on acreage with dogs and horses. The trail goes right down the main street of the town. As we walked we saw hikers at tables outside the Sweetwater Cafe as well as a sign out front welcoming PCT hikers. We didn't need much of a conversation to decide if we should stop or not. Double D had a great looking burger and I had breakfast. Mmmmm, so delicious!  And the drinks were served in quart jars--they have probably learned how much soda thru-hikers can consume. 

It was just a one mile walk off the PCT to Hiker Heaven. This family has turned their yard, garage and trailer into all the space and services a thru-hiker could want. Laundry, showers, computers, cots in covered and/or enclosed large "tents", trips to REI and the grocery store (hey, wait! some of these people are coming back with in-n-out cups!!!), and bikes available to take to town. It's just amazing. Hikers can spend up to two nights here resting and recovering. The Saufley's are the original, and considered by many to be the best, Trail Angels. 

Twenty-Seven Miles?!?!

We started the day hiking a side trail from the campground to the PCT. Thankfully we woke up to clear sunny weather and it lasted all day. 

The lesson of the day was to take a designated lunch break which involved laying down and taking our shoes off. Ahhhhhh...

We almost stopped for night at mile 412, but after another break with our shoes off, we decided to push on for six more miles. 

We had another road walk detour that left us exhausted, but with a nice camping spot near a fire station. 

Joey earned her trail name today:  Double D. By the time she goes home, she will have hiked almost the entire Section D of California and has endured its many Detours. 

Hiking With My Sis

After a great breakfast at the Cajon Pass Best Western, Mom and Dad brought my sister and I to the trail. We stopped in Wrightwood to pick up Tower who was starting at the same spot. 

It was so nice to have my sister with me to share the hike. The hiking itself was rather boring, so it would have been miserable without her. 

We climbed to the top of Mt Baden-Powell, a 9399-foot peak. On one side the sky was clear and on the other clouds were building and billowing up. Most of our hike was on the clear side of the ridge but by late afternoon we were hiking in a fog. 

Near the top of Baden-Powell was a 1500-year old tree. Another hiker took our picture with it. Also there is a picture below of the most beautiful piped spring I've seen on the trail. 

This was the day of the confusing Endangered Species detour. There are a couple different options. By the time Jo and I got to the start of one of the detour options, the fog was pretty heavy and we were getting tired. We considered setting up camp at the picnic area where we were but decided to begin the road walk portion of the detour. We made it to another picnic area in the fog and decided to make camp. A couple other hikers came by as well as a friend looking for another hiker. She found her later and came back to get us. She said she could bring us to a campground in the sun at the trailhead where the side trail begins to join the PCT after the detour. We couldn't pack up fast enough!

The campground was great. There were trail angels there cooking spaghetti and garlic bread, and they had a fire burning. Five other hikers joined us in our spot and there were others there as well. It was a great ending to what could have been a wet, cold, miserable night. 

Another 26-Mile Day?!?!

Another early morning...seems they all start between 5:10 and 5:20. I think that's when the birds start singing. We had two miles on the trail before beginning a ten-mile road walk. Yes, another detour!  This was for poodle dog bush. The detour led us by a memorial for a couple firefighters who were killed in the 2009 Station (?) Fire. The forest fire was the largest fire ever in LA County.

We were happy to be back on the trail at mile 430. Not as happy however to learn that there was no water there as we had thought. After a quick snack we headed to the ranger station at mile 436 and a hopeful water cache. 

Yes!  The cache existed, along with shade trees and picnic tables!  We took a long break to eat and rest our feet. Joey discovered a couple blisters :(

We took enough time rest, refuel, rehydrate, and use the bathroom. There have been so many campgrounds and picnic areas in this section, Double D probably thinks there are toilets all along the PCT. 

We made the decision at this point to push on to the Acton KOA Campground eight miles away. This seemed smart at the time. Six miles into it, we were stumbling along the meandering trail hoping and praying it would end soon. We barely made it to the campground, just as the little store on site was closing. No cold sodas for us :(. We did however get a shower and tent sites. 

Earlier in the afternoon we were treated to some wildflowers. Because it has been a year with low rainfall, the wildflowers haven't been abundant, but we found this display to be really pretty. Unfortunately the poodle dog bush has been the dominant flower in this section of the trail. 

I think with the end of Section D we will have reached the end of poodle dog bush and detours, at least I hope so!!!

My Trail Angels

I just gotta take a minute to share my appreciation for the support of my family. This hike has stretched me uncomfortably in so many ways. Many times I feel near the breaking point in one way or another. To help me get through it, my family has visited me, hiked with me, and been willing to drop everything to bring a pair of shoes or whatever I need at a moment's notice. Mom has worked so hard to provide me with good meals in spite of my changing appetite and tastes. Before hitting the trail I didn't realize how critical their support would be. I think their role at home was probably more difficult than just waking and walking. I will never be able to fully express my thankfulness to my family for their unconditional support of me and this hike.