Record heat, a high of 105 degrees today (although Mud & Dingo saw it got up to 107 degrees at one point!) halted us after a 13 mile morning hike up to Interstate 15. We arrived before noon, looking forward to the chance to walk .4 off the trail up to a gas station for some cold drinks & snacks...had plans to skip out on the heat & hide under trees until it cooled down enough to hike on another 7 or so miles. BUT...then we discovered there was a Subway on the other side of the highway. Fresh ingredients & fresh bread sounded SO GOOD. THEN we remembered there was a hotel here & after much thought...we decided to get a room because it was just so dang hot! Hiking through much wide open, exposed area has again begun to wear on us...we must remember to listen to our bodies & to take good care of them. Turns out, we weren't the only hikers who made the decision to cool off in a hotel room. We caught up with some & are sure others will still show up yet tonight. There are constantly new faces & new names we have to remember...there seems to be so many people out here on the PCT.
We are at the part of the PCT where we crossed when we drove out here & we had taken a picture & posted it earlier in the blog. We were at this exact place just under 4 weeks ago & so much has happened since...
27 miles to Wrightwood, which we will now just go in & out all in one day to run our errands, but not stay. We plan to push on all the way to Agua Dulce next & will (hopefully) be able to zero there. There will be some HOT hiking in between here & there but apparently it's supposed to get cooler within the next few days & possibly even get down to 80's at one point? That would be so magical...
Keith woke up yesterday feeling very sick & nauseous but determined to hike at least a little bit. We got a late start so it started out pretty hot already but we were pleasantly surprised to come across some TRAIL MAGIC set up under the lone shady tree at the end of a road. Shepherd, a PCT section-hiker had some tables set up & whipped us up some ROOT BEER FLOATS! It was truly a dream come true! There were also oranges, other snacks & eventually...watermelon, which is something I'd been dreaming of ever since we left the Mexican border. Truly magical & after a few hours of rest & relaxation in the shade, Keith felt a lot better. We ended up hiking on quite a few more miles, which is when it just got soooooooooo hot but we cannot complain because we came across 3 more water caches/coolers full of things like fruit, hard boiled eggs, candy bars & other goodies. We eventually made it to a ranger station to fill up our water for the night & as we were desperately searching for the water (because it was actually going to be cold!), two men who clearly didn't speak English as their first language started talking to us. Only one spoke English & he started asking us what we were doing & we explained our travels. He explained that they were from France & had rented an RV & would be heading back to L.A. the next morning to fly back home. They were amazed by our adventure & eventually said "Au revoir!" & then headed back to their RV. One minute later, the RV door swung open & two little girls in swimsuits came running up to us to hand us something...which turned out to be half a bar of dark Ghirardelli chocolate! Then they ran back to the RV & came running back again with some slices of pepperjack cheese! It was by far the sweetest thing I have seen in a long time. The experiences we encounter on this trail remind us so often that humanity has such a beautiful & giving side. It's part of what makes this experience so magical. We added the slices of cheese to our single box of macaroni & cheese & it was the cheesiest, most delicious thing ever & was almost like homemade! And the dark chocolate made for the most absolutely fabulous desert.
We swam in the pool & went for a dip in the hot tub earlier today & hope that this (mostly) day of rest will help get us up the mountains & through the next 100+ miles to Agua Dulce healthily & happily.
Until then...still not able to post any pictures, sorry!
Much love.
Do please stop at the Post Office at Wrightwood. Hoping things cool down soon. Thanks for the updates - I look forward to reading them. Jana
ReplyDeleteThe heat sounds killler. Especailly for cold weather northerners like you guys. Root Beer Floats?!! Never got that kinda trail magic..Sounds awesome, and looks like you're having a grand time.
ReplyDeleteRedOak Wilderness School is underway. I taught my first FRICTION FIRE CLASS this week at our house. It went well and I have a student for the next class, too.
-RedOak.
Sounds so exciting! You are both an inspiration :) we miss you so much and are so glad it's going so great. Elleot is almost a year , we will save some dinosaurs for you guys when you get back! Love you - Justin,Bria and Elleot
ReplyDeleteSo glad to get the updates. Please recognize the symptoms of heat stroke. Much beyond what Unicroc was feeling, there might not have been a turn around. Can you use your silver emergency blankets propped somehow with your walking sticks to make some type of shade or even set up your tent to catch shade with the angled sun in the afternoon. The Mohave Desert is living up to it's reputation. It's outrageously beautiful and deadly at the same time. Your package arrived in Agua Dulce on May 9th. It is delightful to read such vivid descriptions. It's a remarkable adventure and a joy to read the details. Any chance of picking up 2 umbrellas somewhere so you can plant them on the top of your backpacks so your hands can be free. Just trying to make you cooler. Happy Trails. Love-n-Stuff. Mom.
ReplyDeleteGlad you two are ok. Yes you better not push yourselves too hard in the enviroment your walking in !! Sounds like a wonderful hard trip. LOve mom
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