​Quark and Towanda wanted an early start in the morning so alarms were going off at 4:30.   Tried one of my new confetti pop tarts.   God, it was awlful.   Towanda seems to agree.   Tossed Quark a snickers from my too-much-stuff pile, then headed out.   We were on the road at 5 heading to the trail head of Deer Creek.

The ascent basically started at the Inn’s doorstep, but Deer Creek was a steep one.   Pretty much stair steps and switchbacks all the way up.   I stuck with Quark and Towanda for the first couple miles, but unfortunately Towanda was in the lead and she was charging (again).   Said bye to their receding backs.   Only evidence of them was a snickers wrapper that dropped out of one of their pockets a few miles up…..Always cleaning up after the kids 🙂 

Reached the PCT trail at around 7500 feet, so probably did a 3k foot climb in 3 or 4 miles.   Still felt good.   After that it was a bunch of mostly mild climbing to the highest point just shy of 9k.   Crossed some pretty big streams and cooked a little brunch along the way.   Met a couple guys who stayed on the peak of San Jacinto last night.   Samson and Jared.

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Then the pain began. 

I figured, “ok, all down hill from here”.   But that was not to be.   The next 4 miles were a soul sucking series of ups and downs between 8k and 8.7k feet.   Down a switchback 200 feet, up a switchback 200 feet.   There was even one that, if you imagine the shape of a raindrop, was just like that.   Drop 150 feet, walks some flats, then back up basically going backwards.    I actually thought I was turned around on the trail.   How could I be back to the same spot ?    The trail planners are doing the devil’s work out here. 
It going so slow in this section.   Wasn’t out of breath, just had no energy.   I’d stop at every 2 or 3 switchbacks climbing to rest the legs, then shuffle off to the next one.   Cant wait to see my trace on the inreach site….must be pathetic. 
Fuller ridge still had several dozen snow crossings, but they were relatively small.   The melt is almost done here.   Got down to Fuller trailhead and ran into Jared and Samson again.

  
At this point I only had 11 miles in and it was 1pm ish.   The guys were also keen to make up the miles, so we all hooked up and walked together.  It was dry slog.   We stopped about 4 miles from the camp site and I was down to 1.5 liters (plus my .5 backup ration).  The guys were a lot less.    We figured we’d get there around 7:30.

 
After the break, I took the lead, well sort of.  Losing the altitude gave me a burst of energy so I racked my poles and started semi-trail running down.   I just wanted this to be over.   Passed 200 and took a Selfie.   Wish the guys were around so I could take more lewd photo.   Maybe next milestone. 

Made it at 7:10, guys showed up 15 minutes later.   Setup camp, ate something cold, and crashed.  The guys are out of water so I gave them my half-liter bottle. 

Today’s agenda is:
1. Get out of bed
2. Drink coffee
3. Wash my nasty clothes
4. Clean some equipment
5. Resupply
6. Eat
7. Drink (a lot)
8. Update blog

I’m deep into the last 2 as I’m writing this. Saw Jim again at the front desk. He is scheduling a ride to the trail tomorrow morning. I’m thinking that walking it will help keep me whole with the Gods. Dunno.

Did my resupply.   I’m looking at it right now.  I love all the things here individually, but seeing them together as part of a 5 day meal plan makes me want to barf.   Do I really eat this stuff?

Towonda pinged me and said that Quark’s feet needed another day of rest. I’ll probably host them on the sleeper tonight. Likely we will go out together tomorrow, which would be a good thing for me. She seems to know a good route to the trail and I frankly don’t feel like figuring that bit out. Once on the trail they’ll probably leave me in the dust. All good from my perspective.

On another note, my system of using the kindle wordpress app together with iphone uploads is driving me nuts.  The apps do a terrible job of syncing with the server, so I end up with dups and failed media uploads.   Going to have to refine this over time, so meanwhile everyone will have to deal with goofy posts.  

Last night got really cold.   Had to get up a couple time times to add more air to the pad.  Put on another layer, and dig out my buff.   Soon as dawn broke I got up and found the (nicely heated) camp ground bathroom.   Spent some quality time on the toilet.   Luxury.

  
Folks were milling around after I got my coffee going.   Had a couple helpings of spuds for breakfast.  Those things are money on a cold morning.   A hot satisfying lump in the stomach.  I am a convert to the current hiker thinking about Idahoan Potatoes. 
Our little group packed up and headed out.   Jim stayed behind for a shower.  We ran into him later in Idyllwild.  We hiked together all morning.   A little bit of road walking, then a nice trail, and finally a lot of exposed fire road walking climbing up and over some big hills to drop into Idyllwild.

 
Several folks stopped and offered rides while we were on the highway.   Such nice people.

  
When we left the road to get back on the trail, we stopped at a cal fire station so Towonda could beg for a bathroom break.   The guys there were cool with it.   Had a good chat about the local fires.  Apparently they have had 6 calls already in the last week.   One was caused by a bunch of kids driving around shooting a roman candle out the car window.   Stupid is as stupid does.   Showed them my magical unicorn wrapped shoe.   That put a wet blanket on the conversation.  I don’t think they knew how to react to that one.  heh. 

 
I managed a good showing on the climb.  Turns out my pack weighs almost as much as their combined pack weight.  Fortunately Quark’s feet are hurting(blisters), so I’m representing the gen-x ers well.  We didn’t get trophies for coming in last, young-ins……
Near the top of the fire road, Quark and Towonda did their first set of pushups to atone for the short quarter mile hitch they got to Paradise Cafe yesterday.   They’ve worked out that some kind of payback is needed to the trail Gods.    Towonda did 5 with her pack on.   Quark 20.   Caught a bit of this on video below.
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I am clean with the Gods.   Nobody wanted to give my ass a ride yesterday.
We rolled into Idyllwild and stopped at a little strip mall.  Twonda ran off to get a pregnancy test?!?  There was a mild concern that a trail baby could be in the making.   Turns out it was a false alarm.   Quark was happy/sad.   They make a good couple.

  
We had a long afternoon of pizza, beer, and appetizers.   Then the weirdness showed up in the form of a French-Canadian thru-hiker named Dr. Feelgood.   He sort of shows up after we finished eating and was getting ready to box up the leftovers.   He sits down, starts talking about being an out-of-work game developer.  He is staying at a campground that costs him $5 and his Dr friend in Canada wiring him a “special” prescription to the local pharmacy.   We offer him a slice of pizza, then he proceeds to eat 3 slices of Quark’s and all of mine.   Then he leaves, never to be seen again.   Man, this hike is going to be a story machine.    We can’t stop laughing about him. 
Got some new treads today from the outfitter.  I showed the gal my unicorn shoe, she got me a similar feeling shoe called “la sportiva” and the deal was done.   Spent another hour watching Quark try on new shoes.   He has some nasty blisters on his heals plus blisters on his pinky toes.   Guy can’t get a break.  His wife has no problems and she keeps hiking like a sherpa.   Anyway, deed was done and we headed to the Idylwild inn for the night.   
I soaked in the tub for a couple hours, surrounded in dirty water of my own making.   I wanted to see how dark it got, you know, for science.   Didn’t get a picture sorry.   After it drained there was a long sandy trail at the bottom of the tub.   Looked like the trail I just walked.  Fitting.   
Shared a late night bottle of wine and Jim showed up again to join us.   He apparently timed his hike to coincide with the worst heat of the day.   Get some, Jim. 
I’m zeroing tomorrow to recoup and resupply.   Twonda and Quark are heading out.     

Woke early in the morning, swallowed some coffee, made some oat meal and packed up.   Chatted with the folks who camped with me for a bit.   One dude is named Jukebox.   He was singing to himself most of the morning, so I guess that fits.

  
Jukebox is traveling with his sister and her German husband (Tio, or something like that).   Her trail name is Chef.   A dude named Jolly Rancher back at Warner was going on and on about some gal named Chef who made this awesome pineapple upside down cake on a camp stove.   Here she is in the flesh.   She was definitely setup for luxing the hike.   Showed me a little tennis ball sized mesh of sprouts that she was growing on the trail.    They told me they were going to do “10 or 12 miles today”.  Heh.    Everyone has their priorities.  

 
I bailed out early and hiked to the guzzler cistern.   Towonda and Quark were finishing up some filtering.  That water is just gross.   I filled my bottles, but didn’t put any of it in my bladder.   Figured if I was desperate I’d pour it in.  Fortunately, the water cache at mile 143.   (Note 5/9, found out later from Bottom that there were dead animals floating in it, ugh)   

The nasty, green Guzzler water was returned to the earth and I refilled.  

Met a German dude named Felix there.   He’s 18 from Munich doing a hike before University starts.  Super nice kid.   We left together and hiked for a couple miles, but I couldn’t keep his pace.   We kept crossing throughout the day.   He would jam out 3 or 4 miles, rest, then start again around the time I showed up.   I told him I was his pacer.   He said my precision seemed very German.  Heh.  
This section just got more and more miserable as the day went on.   No shade, +300, -300 foot climbs/decents.   Normally I would have stopped for a few hours but all I could think about was a gigantic cheeseburger that would vanish at 3.

Quark and Towonda lapped me again after their rest stop.  Kept with them for a couple miles, but Towonda’s pace was killing me.   Damn kids.   My hat was soaked with sweat most of the day.   
Made Paradise at 2ish.   I got paid with my burger and beer that I had with Quark and Towonda.   We discussed hitching to Idyllwild like everyone else, but instead convinced ourselves to walk it on a hybrid route that stopped at Lake Hemet for tonight. 

  
Saw Felix before I left.   He was sitting with a bunch of German kids.   Guess he’s found a home.
Made Lake Hemet at 8 or 9.   We picked up a stray geriatric named Jim and bought a site together.  Nice spot by the lake.   I setup just the inner bug net and collapsed.   I think we did 23 miles today.  The frogs are croaking outside my tent.   They seem pleased with my performance today. 

Wonderful camp site last night.   No wind, great view.   First time I left the fly off the tent.   Was kind of neat watching the dusk, then a quarter moon surrounded by stars. 

  
Next morning was some generally uphill walking.   Plan was to do 8 early miles, get to Mike’s place, wait out the sun, then rock another 10 or so miles.    

Today I’ve been running into a bunch of folks mostly couples and a 2 pair of german dudes.    Somehow I got attached to some of them and hiked the last 3 together.  

Nice to get some trail conversations in.    Matt has a ton of interesting stuff going on with his life/family.   Just to give you a taste, Matt grew up in Big Bear.    Apparently his sister is married to a dude from Wales, has 5 young kids, and lives in a Teepee.    She was last sighted in the Dakota’s, where they have pitched their Teepee to join the protests about the Keystone pipeline.  Wow.   

We rolled into Mike’s at 11.   Great sanctuary from the heat.   The caretaker dude set us up with some pancakes, a beer, and a lot of conversation.   He offered some “weed-butter” for the pancakes.   That sounded like a 15 mile deduction from the day’s total.   Probably the next day as well.  The caretaker dude doesn’t want his picture taken or his name used, so we will call him J_   .

   
J_ and I chatted it up for a bit.  He knows a ton of motorcycle trails around here.   He offered to host me and a group of guys if we ever want to come down to ride.    Awesome.   This place is now on the riding list.
Mike, the owner, turned up in the afternoon and we had a good chat while one of the hikers was slinging dozens of brats on the grill.  He said when he bought the place the agent told him “some popular hiking trail” ran by his property but thought nothing of it.   Then over the years hikers kept showing up asking for water.  Soon he installed higher capacity tanks, then added big kitchen grills, more seating, etc, etc.
I told him somewhat in jest that he was “doing the Lord’s work” here.   Later he sought me out and said that was the best compliments he has heard in a while.   He seemed to really be moved….almost brought a tear to my eye.   What a wonderful guy.

 
I found out that Paradise Cafe closes at 3 tomorrow.  25 miles between me and a burger.   I bid farewell to 15+ fat and happy hikers surrounded in a cloud of smoke.   Told them the vortex seemed to be strong here….seemed to be centered around the bong on the table.   That got a little laugh. 

The climb out was a nasty, exposed uphill slog.   Had some noodles at 6 then kept hiking till 8ish.   Passed 5 occupied camp sites, chatting up a few.   Saw Josh again, and a couple named Towonda and Quark.   Rolled into Tule springs cut-off for the night.   Site had 4 tents already set up but they seemed ok with me setting up.   

Along the way, my left shoe started delaminating.  I’m bummed.  I’ve trail run and backpacked in these for years.  Didn’t expect them to last 700 miles but 70? That’s lame.  

I applied some magical unicorn tape and that seems to be holding.  

All the body parts are holding up pretty good.   I can feel a bit of a blister forming and I’m worried about the plantar fascia on my right foot.   Otherwise all good.