Miles 190.5 San Jacinto Wilderness — 209.5 I-10 (19.0 miles)

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Rose: trail magic underneath I-10 by Mama Bear Thorn: walking in hot sand for last few miles before I-10 Bud: new mountains ahead

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I woke up early and tried to pack up quietly in the crowded campground, although most were stirring by the time I left at 5:15.

The first two hours were fast and easy. Long, dirt switchbacks where I could get lengthy, pounding strides. I was thankful for starting early, because the entire descent was exposed. Mitch joined me during the second hour. Then I stopped to pee, and he pulled ahead. The rest of the switchbacks were harder with the dirt trail being interrupted more and more by rocks and boulders. I slowed down and my feet flattened. As the heat rose more, I pulled out my umbrella and started searching for shade. I joined Mitch for a minute under a boulder and then Semi found me under a different boulder an hour later.

Semi pulled me out of my shade, and we hiked the remaining six miles together. 2–3 miles to an exposed spigot with no shade and then 4–5 miles along the hot flats to the I-10 underpass. The flats was a giant sandy flood plain, which was so hot and exhausting to hike through. It was like hiking on a beach. Semi and I were trying to keep up with an experienced thru hiker with a tiny little Palante pack (always a bad idea. They’re so fast.). My ankle started hurting from all the flexion.

We limped to the I-10 underpass where 15 hikers were enjoying trail magic from Mama Bear, including the rest of our speedy family. We had missed the hot dogs but still enjoyed a cold orange soda, chips, and cherries.

Only 3pm and we had hiked 19 miles. We needed some more food for the next section before Big Bear Lake, so we took an Uber into Banning, CA where we had booked a Rodeway Inn for the night.