Written Friday, 28 May 2021

Another day that will be all about the water.

Luckily, we don't have to worry about it here, where the water source is fantastic!

We intentionally sleep in a bit late, in hopes that the rest of the group will roll in. It was quite nice (although I couldn't stay asleep too late), and it paid off as Anchor, Maverick, and Catch caught up as we were finishing our breakfasts at leisure.

With most of the group together, we do a quick consult on the miles ahead, and I set out at the relatively gentlemanly hour if 0850.

The beautiful forest walk from last evening continues, and I get to cross the first 0.4 miles of today's hike for the third time. Luckily, it is a pretty section!

Unfortunately, we soon descend out of the forest into the desert again, where it's warmer and definitely "a different kind of pretty." The path itself is also mostly and gentle downward slope so it's not too tough.

The morning is pretty unremarkable and shortly after noon, we arrive at Kelso Road where some dedicated group of Trail Angels maintains a big water cache. Thank you Trail Angels!

The next water is another ways away, and our choices are to dry camp before we get there (which means we have to carry extra water to camp with) or go all the way to the next water cache, which means we don't have to carry as much water but will be a long day for the part of our group that had a 5 or 6 mile hike before I even got started.

Those of us who started at Landers Meadow decide to go for the next water source so I pound 3 liters, refill two, and launch for Bird Spring Pass.

Ooof.

The start is a long, hot 2,200 foot climb, and the path was covered in ankle-deep sand. I was making forward progress like I was on a treadmill set on the 10-degree incline.

Sweat was spilled. Swear words were uttered. Prayers were offered to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

Slight progress was made.

Every time I turned a corner, I discovered another higher crag to be climbed.

It was, seriously, an eternity before I finally went over the top and began a nice, relatively benign descent into the camp site at Bird Spring Road, followed shortly by Florian and Baewatch and, perhaps, 30 others over the next 2 hours (including Maverick who did pull a 37 mile day today!). Everyone wants to camp in close proximity to the water cache here.

Not sure where Catch, Anchor, and Elle are tonight, but we are safe, dry and warm tonight at the Bird Spring Road water cache.

Miles Hiked Today: 21.9 Total Miles Hiked: 630.8

Sea Otter Fact of the Day: Sea otters float on their backs, mostly to keep their paws, flippers, and faces (all the places where they have the least fur), out of the cold ocean water.

Written Saturday, 29 May 2021

Windy night. I was cowboy camping, but the nearby tents were flapping so much that I woke up just about every half hour. By 0320, I decided to stop fighting fate. I got up, ate breakfast, did chores, and got on the Trail by 0415.

I realized yesterday that I have am about a day and a half short in my food supply so today I'm going to need to get into a nearby town for a quick resupply. I'm hoping to resupply and return to the Trail tonight.

I know it will surprise you to learn the day began with a big, steep 1,500-foot climb. This is why I start before sunrise!

And a gorgeous sunrise it was today. Really spectacular. It takes my mind off the climb, and I'm over the top by 0545.

The next 14-15 miles are a nice forest walk, on an undulating trail that probably doesn't vary in altitude by more than a 100 feet over the full length of the walk.

I stopped for a snack at 1015, and by the time I started up again at 1030, it was noticeably warmer.

Luckily, the Trail was mostly down hill from there, and by shortly after noon, I arrived at Walker Pass Campground. Since I needed to get to town, I wasn't planning to stop here, but a Trail Angel named Mark was handing out fresh fruit and beers so I stopped for a minute to talk to him (and eat an apple, and an orange, and some cherries...and drink a beer, which is also sort of a fruit).

While there, I met another hiker, named Ethan, who is also trying to get to town so we decide to hitch together. We walk another 0.8 miles to Walker Pass and stick out our thumbs.

Walker Pass was not named after country music star Jerry Jeff Walker, as many believe. It was named in honor of Joseph Rutherford Walker, a member of John C. "Frontier" Fremont's 1843 exploratory expedition to California.

Jerry Jeff Walker has still sold more records.

Not sure if it was the fact that Ethan and I were hitching on a Saturday mid-afternoon of a 3-day weekend or that we just look like potential axe murderers, but no one wants to stop for us. One couple does stop to ask directions to a local attraction. Sadly, we are no help...and they do not offer us a ride.

Finally, after almost 2 hours of futility, a large Ford Econoline van rolls up, and the driver asks us if we are heading to Ridgecrest.

"Yes, ma'am, we are."

"I have 8 of my kids in the back, " she says. "Do you mind riding with them?"

"Uhm, no, ma'am, but we are smelling pretty bad. Are you sure you want us in the van?"

"Ha!" she says. "I've got 8 boys. You can't scare me. Get in!"

So this very nice lady, with 8 of her 12 kids in the van with her carries, two stinky hikers a half an hour to the town of Ridgecrest. Along the way, we find out she's a Navy wife. Her husband is stationed at nearby China Lake, and she tells us everything we need to know about Ridgecrest.

She drops us off in downtown around 1545 and by 1615, I've done my resupply. Unfortunately, we have even less luck getting a hitch out of town than we did getting a ride in. That's to say we have no luck at all.

Finally, we give up and walk to a motel. We check in, get showered, and walk to a nearby Mexican place for dinner. While eating, we finally find a driver in town who will take us back to the Pass in the morning... for the small sum of $60.

Oh, well, I'm safe, dry and warm and full of Mexican food in Ridgecrest CA tonight.

Miles Hiked Today: 21.3 Total Miles Hiked: 652.1

Sea Otter Fact of the Day: Sea otter mothers can become pregnant almost immediately after delivering a pup. However, they can delay implantation of the embryo for up to several months to ensure that the next pup is delivered at a favorable time of year.