Southern California... DONE!
My last post was written on the day that I felt the most down so far during this very challenging hike. After a week of feeling like crap, I woke up to my highly anticipated zero day (no mile day) at Casa de Luna to cold rain, which continued all through the day. Casa de Luna is the home of some wonderful trail angels who let hikers camp on their property and hang out in their front yard, providing breakfast, dinner, and entertainment (read: dancing). I spent the day trying to escape the wet and cold, on the verge of tears (or actually crying), surrounded by a ton of people who seemed far less miserable than me, and not feeling like dancing at all. I would say when it comes to rain, I am not the most optimistic person ... Washington is going to be a breeeeeze. 😐
Luckily, as I hoped would happen, I woke up the next morning feeling slightly better and at least somewhat mentally prepared to head back into the mountains (it helped that the rain had stopped). The hike was a bit of a climb through wet clouds, which at times was beautiful and at other times was just cold. I was grateful for a clear space to pitch my tent for the night, and even happier to wake up to blue skies the next morning.
The blue skies were short lived, as I continued hiking in and out of clouds for the next several hours. My foot pain continuing, I have adopted a new rhythm of taking breaks every 5 miles or so, in order to elevate my feet and eat a snack. Plodding along at that slow pace, I finally made it to the 500 mile marker. I had been thinking about that marker for weeks... how incredible and proud I would feel to know I had walked 500 miles (804.6 kms!)... it ended up feeling a bit anticlimactic though. Knowing I was in pain, knowing my pace was declining and that I was slowly getting further and further from the rest of my trail family ahead, knowing I have so many miles to go... It just felt meh. I was grateful, however, to have my wonderful and so badass friend Mibs there - she had waited 45 minutes so that I wouldn't be alone at the marker.
Mibs told me that although we had initially been planning a 15 mile day, she was feeling pretty good and was thinking of pushing the full 24 miles to Hikertown (more on that later). I really didn't think 24 miles was in the cards for me so I said bye to her, braced myself for several days camping alone, and went to find a place to poop (There is no better way to celebrate 500 miles than pooping in a hole!)
By 1:30pm, I had finally, blissfully left the clouds and was granted a view of the Mojave desert below, which I would be walking through in a couple days time. I also arrived at the campsite I was planning to stop at. I stopped, put up my feet, and realized there was no way I was going to stop hiking at 1:30... with only 9.5 miles left to Hikertown I decided I would be pushing the mileage and catching up with my friends. By continuing my slow and steady pace and taking regular breaks, I made it to Hikertown by 6:30, officially making my new mileage record at 24.2 miles (38.9 km) in one day! I was totally shot, but was greeted by some familiar faces about to hitch a ride shouting my name, "PATCHEEEESSS!!!"... I think they were as surprised to see me there as I was to be there!
Hikertown is a strange little collection of tiny, Western-inspired buildings designed for hikers to stay and get rides into the nearby café and resupply convenience store. I arrived too late to get to the resupply, but wanted to get an early start the next day, I decided to make my food stretch until our next official town stop in 50 miles. I slept on the floor of a room (read: weird box thing with a sliding door and a bed) with Mibs and another friend, Boss. Next up... the Mojave Desert.
The next stretch of trail is a notorious one. For quite some time the PCT traverses the mountain ranges alongside the desert - although we have had some hot, desert conditions, we've also been up in the mountains where there is a higher chance of precipitation and therefore vegetation. After coming down to Hikertown, however, the PCT cuts directly across a corner of the Mojave Desert to the mountains on the other side. For about 25 miles, there is limited shade, limited water, and a lot of sun and heat. Of interest, the PCT also follows alongside (and at times directly on) the LA Aqueduct, a 100+ year old water system that carries melt water from the Sierra mountain ranges to the people of Los Angeles.
One benefit of the recent cool weather is that we were able to hike the aqueduct stretch during the day. Many hikers night-hike the stretch in order to make it more bearable. Although the sun was hot at times, there was a breeze for most of the day, and I was able to get through the 22.8 miles in one go, with only minor casualties, (I may or may not have sat down on a bunch of innocent, fluffy-looking plants which proceeded to release dozens of tiny prickly hairs into my hands and legs...), and very sore feet.
At this point someone mentioned that there was a place to hitch to town only 18 miles ahead, which could be done in one day. It would mean three loooong days in a row, but would also mean being in a bed the very next night.
That next day was one of the hardest (I know, I say that every time, but they keep being so hard!) On top of the extreme pain in my feet, I have been slowly getting closer and closer to a cold, which decided to explode overnight so that I spent the whole day with a stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, and fuzzy head. At one point I felt so tired I could have easily sat down on the edge of the trail and fallen asleep immediately. I was struggling to keep my eyes open. The only thing that got me those 18 miles was knowing I would soon be showered, laundered, and in a warm bed for at least 3 whole nights.
I did make it, and I'm now I'm just about to finish my two zeros in Tehachapi, California. I feel sick as a dog, my feet are still sore and getting pins and needles on the regular, but I made it. The PCT is usually split into 5 sections: Southern California, The Sierras, Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. This little town is specifically exciting because it marks the last town in the Southern California section. From here on out we start climbing into the Sierra Nevada mountains, with a pit stop at our next major landmark, Kennedy Meadows - known as "The Gateway to the High Sierras" - where most hikers send the gear they might need for the new conditions in the high mountains (i.e. microspikes, ice axe, warmer layers, etc.)
For those wondering, I did hit up a doctor in Tehachapi and got good news and bad news. Good news: No stress fracture! Bad news: I have plantar fasciitis and a ton of inflammation from overuse (wonder how that happened?) and the only thing I can really do for my feet is stop using them. Luckily, my doctor was understanding of the hiker thing and gave me a prescription for some heavy duty anti-inflammatories to hopefully help a bit. I have also ordered new shoes (the same I had before but slightly bigger) which I’m hooooping will help! Other than that, I’m going to keep stretching and rolling out my feet multiple times a day and putting them up to rest whenever possible.
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| Hikers trying to stay warm and out of the rain, under some tents at Casa de Luna |
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| Hiking up into the clouds with Mibs |
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| More of that infernal poodle dog bush |
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| The pinecones in Southern California are HUGE |
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| Also, I found this animal spine on trail, which I thought was SUPER cool! |
The blue skies were short lived, as I continued hiking in and out of clouds for the next several hours. My foot pain continuing, I have adopted a new rhythm of taking breaks every 5 miles or so, in order to elevate my feet and eat a snack. Plodding along at that slow pace, I finally made it to the 500 mile marker. I had been thinking about that marker for weeks... how incredible and proud I would feel to know I had walked 500 miles (804.6 kms!)... it ended up feeling a bit anticlimactic though. Knowing I was in pain, knowing my pace was declining and that I was slowly getting further and further from the rest of my trail family ahead, knowing I have so many miles to go... It just felt meh. I was grateful, however, to have my wonderful and so badass friend Mibs there - she had waited 45 minutes so that I wouldn't be alone at the marker.
Mibs told me that although we had initially been planning a 15 mile day, she was feeling pretty good and was thinking of pushing the full 24 miles to Hikertown (more on that later). I really didn't think 24 miles was in the cards for me so I said bye to her, braced myself for several days camping alone, and went to find a place to poop (There is no better way to celebrate 500 miles than pooping in a hole!)
By 1:30pm, I had finally, blissfully left the clouds and was granted a view of the Mojave desert below, which I would be walking through in a couple days time. I also arrived at the campsite I was planning to stop at. I stopped, put up my feet, and realized there was no way I was going to stop hiking at 1:30... with only 9.5 miles left to Hikertown I decided I would be pushing the mileage and catching up with my friends. By continuing my slow and steady pace and taking regular breaks, I made it to Hikertown by 6:30, officially making my new mileage record at 24.2 miles (38.9 km) in one day! I was totally shot, but was greeted by some familiar faces about to hitch a ride shouting my name, "PATCHEEEESSS!!!"... I think they were as surprised to see me there as I was to be there!
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| After miles of walking in and out of clouds, this was the final step into the blue sky, with the Mojave just below. |
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| There were so many pretty wildflowers on the hike down |
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| Once I got down to the desert, everything looked like a scene from a Western - there are even REAL tumbleweeds!! |
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| My very jolly welcoming committee, trying to get a hitch and engaging in some serious hilarity. |
Hikertown is a strange little collection of tiny, Western-inspired buildings designed for hikers to stay and get rides into the nearby café and resupply convenience store. I arrived too late to get to the resupply, but wanted to get an early start the next day, I decided to make my food stretch until our next official town stop in 50 miles. I slept on the floor of a room (read: weird box thing with a sliding door and a bed) with Mibs and another friend, Boss. Next up... the Mojave Desert.
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| Hikertown |
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| Our room/box for the night |
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| Lots of water, but no access to it |
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| Aqueduct |
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| More aqueduct |
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| Get used to this view, cause it's all we saw alllll day longggg (also, that's me). |
One benefit of the recent cool weather is that we were able to hike the aqueduct stretch during the day. Many hikers night-hike the stretch in order to make it more bearable. Although the sun was hot at times, there was a breeze for most of the day, and I was able to get through the 22.8 miles in one go, with only minor casualties, (I may or may not have sat down on a bunch of innocent, fluffy-looking plants which proceeded to release dozens of tiny prickly hairs into my hands and legs...), and very sore feet.
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| The tiny, innocent-looking plant that left me itchy for an hour... |
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| Taking advantage of shade wherever we could find it! |
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| I'm newly obsessed with Joshua Trees - I felt like I was walking through a Dr. Seuss book! |
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| So nice to have flat ground to walk on, but the hard dirt and concrete does hurt your feet and joints after awhile! |
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| Sooo many wind turbines... |
At this point someone mentioned that there was a place to hitch to town only 18 miles ahead, which could be done in one day. It would mean three loooong days in a row, but would also mean being in a bed the very next night.
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| Finally made it to our campsite after 22.8 miles through the desert. I've never been so happy to sleep in my tent. |
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| A stick bug I found on my tent the next morning! |
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| A horned lizard. Lizards are like squirrels out here, I see dozens of them daily, all different kinds. |
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| Some owl friends I met under a bridge while enjoying some much needed shade during the aqueduct stretch. |
That next day was one of the hardest (I know, I say that every time, but they keep being so hard!) On top of the extreme pain in my feet, I have been slowly getting closer and closer to a cold, which decided to explode overnight so that I spent the whole day with a stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, and fuzzy head. At one point I felt so tired I could have easily sat down on the edge of the trail and fallen asleep immediately. I was struggling to keep my eyes open. The only thing that got me those 18 miles was knowing I would soon be showered, laundered, and in a warm bed for at least 3 whole nights.
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| More flowers :) |
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| Tehachapi has the 2nd largest wind farm in California - I've never seen so many wind turbines in one place. |
I did make it, and I'm now I'm just about to finish my two zeros in Tehachapi, California. I feel sick as a dog, my feet are still sore and getting pins and needles on the regular, but I made it. The PCT is usually split into 5 sections: Southern California, The Sierras, Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. This little town is specifically exciting because it marks the last town in the Southern California section. From here on out we start climbing into the Sierra Nevada mountains, with a pit stop at our next major landmark, Kennedy Meadows - known as "The Gateway to the High Sierras" - where most hikers send the gear they might need for the new conditions in the high mountains (i.e. microspikes, ice axe, warmer layers, etc.)
For those wondering, I did hit up a doctor in Tehachapi and got good news and bad news. Good news: No stress fracture! Bad news: I have plantar fasciitis and a ton of inflammation from overuse (wonder how that happened?) and the only thing I can really do for my feet is stop using them. Luckily, my doctor was understanding of the hiker thing and gave me a prescription for some heavy duty anti-inflammatories to hopefully help a bit. I have also ordered new shoes (the same I had before but slightly bigger) which I’m hooooping will help! Other than that, I’m going to keep stretching and rolling out my feet multiple times a day and putting them up to rest whenever possible.
Although my feet are threatening to give up on me, I have no intention of getting off this trail yet. Now that I know I don’t have a stress fracture, (which was my major concern), I know that as long as I’m careful with my feet I can keep going. I didn't make it this far to stop just before the most famous section, the mountains so beautiful they inspired the writings of the famous author and naturalist, John Muir ("The mountains are calling, and I must go"). Nope. I am determined to continue on, even if I have to take it slowly while I recover from this nasty cold.
I know that the last few extra-long days of hiking were not the best thing for my feet (or my cold) but can we just take a quick second to appreciate the fact that I survived 65 miles (104.6 km) in 3 days?!!? The 500 marker may not have felt very exciting, but making it into Tehachapi days ahead of what I expected felt pretty freakin great. (Emotionally great... physically I’m still dead).
I’m grateful I made it past the blues this past week. I know there will be plenty more, but I also kept saying to myself while I was feeling down that it was temporary and I would feel better, and this is proof that that was true. I’m also grateful for the encouragement and support from all my friends and family. It means sooo much to get messages from people letting me know they are following my journey and believe in me. Thanks for all the well wishes and for the prayers and good thoughts everyone!
Tomorrow I get up pretty early so I can slack pack (hike without my huge pack) the 8 miles I missed by hitching early, and then come back into town for lunch before I grab my behemoth (i.e. my pack) and hike forward. That means it's time for me to knock back some NyQuil and hit the sack!!
Bye for now! :) :)
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