windmills and trusty shoes

before it got too windy to wear head gear

Greetings from Tehachapi, CA, 558 miles behind me and I only have to do it 4 more times, haha.  This stretch has been a whirlwind of hikers, friendly places to relax, little water, and windmills.  And where there are windmills you can be sure to find wind.  Two days ago we crossed the desert and literally walked on the aqueduct that supplies LA with much of their water.  Yes, we were walking on water and couldn't get a drop to drink as it was completely sealed off.  The aqueduct went on for 17 flat and windy miles as we felt like we were going no-where fast and prayed for a bicycle or something to take advantage of our tail wind.  Then yesterday can be described as nothing short of epic.  The wind shifted direction and kicked up gigantic dust storms in the valley and I felt sorry for my friends behind me down in the valley.  We thought we were safe up on the ridge but as we climbed we realized we could not be further from the truth.  The wind whipped around the ridge at speeds that quite literally knocked us off our feet.  At times it took all my energy and focus to stand my ground and not be thrown down like a sack of potatoes.  At times I was on all fours and I later found out the winds had been clocked at 70-75 mph on the ridges; my sunglasses became important eye protection indeed.  The wind was so loud I couldn't hear myself if I yelled as loud as I could.  I was only glad that it was 50 degrees and dry instead of the same wind in 30 degrees and sleet.  This is the "windy" season down here in southern california and the storm that blew in was not expected by the weathermen but seems to be hanging around for a few days, it seems I'll be going back out on the trail and just hope the next ridge isn't quite the wind storm that we just crawled through.  I will say that whoever put these wind generators here knows exactly what there are doing, lol.

As with most places that we need to re-supply, the trail does not actually go through town.  We emerge from the trail onto a paved road where cars and trucks zoom by on their way to wherever they are going.  Our guidebook is an excellent reference for which way to go to a town and what resources can be found there.  Of course the hiker staples are good food with huge portions (all you can eat is a bonus), post office, laundry, shower, and internet. So I stick out my thumb and hope for the best.  Sure enough, within 10 minutes a local guy who works on the windfarms pulls over and of course I pick his brain about the turbines on the way into town.  Even at normal driving speeds it seems odd after many days of 3 mph.  Tehachapi, like many trail towns, has everything a hiker could want, even a Starbucks for that Chai Latte I've been fantasizing about for those last 8 windy miles.  The Post Office was a little bit of a hike out of town but considering we are walking to Canada, what's an extra mile in the grand scheme of things?  I went to pick up my re-supply package at the post office and was sitting off to the side going through the classic hiker ritual of spreading out all of my worldly possessions and food for the next section to be sure I have everything I need.  Meanwhile, every other person walking by stopped to say hi and talk about the trail, ask how things were going, and ask if I needed anything.  It was incredible.  Within a half hour I had 3 people offer for me to take a shower at their place and use the computer.  As far as trail towns go, this is certainly a place to remember.  They even have a movie theater downtown to indulge in the perfect vegetative activity.  After an incredible evening of good conversation, excellent food, Fast and Furious (6?), and comfy couch to sleep, it is time to brave the winds and head back to the trail.  Tina and Greg are now officially Trail Angels and THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

I see I've been inconsistent on my first person references.  Apologies, english is not my forte.  When I use "we" I'm simply referring to myself as well as the other thru hikers out here also traveling the journey from mexico to canada.  I meet new people every day and have gotten to know quite a few that have been traveling at roughly the same pace and so we are going through similar experiences together.  I am still hiking alone and don't find myself necessarily following others but I certainly end up spending quite a bit of time with other hikers as we wait out  the heat of the day or camp near the same water source.  Just to name a few: Hermes, Lotus, Chad, Pinko, Rafiki, Sansei, Track Meat, Sparkles, Peter Pan, Sagitar, Dragonfly, Beaker, Tortuga, Wild Child, Minor, Whispers, Walkie Talkie, Gummy Bear, MeHap, Egg, Ole, Aloha, Toots Magoots, Tears for Beers, Scones, Doodles, Out'n'About, Sentinal, Sarge, Hooligan, and Rum Monkey.  There are many, many more of course.  But when I say "we" I'm referring to my new family of friends from all walks of the earth all crazy enough to be out here on the same journey on the PCT.  

In 6 days I expect to be at the front door to the High Sierras, Kennedy Meadows.  We are all incredibly excited to be a mere 135 miles from a major high point (both elevation and attraction) of the trail.  We have worked hard to get here and have a lot more work ahead of us but it is so incredibly worth it in every possible way.  

Peace and Love and Happy Trails

~Beads

huge wind turbine

the small section of aqueduct not covered. flat for as far as you can see!

sunset on a pass with wildflowers

Agua Dulce, CA

Greetings friends, 454 miles and counting.  It's hard to believe all of the awesome experiences I've had only happened in a month, and I've got 4 more to go so plenty of time for more adventures.  This town is not unlike the others we've descended upon.  Banners in front of businesses greet PCT Hikers and barely a block into town someone stops to ask if we need a ride anywhere.  This time of year it is tricky because anywhere under 3,000 is a balmy 95 degrees through most of the day, not hiking weather.  Despite the heat and odd sleeping hours, the landscape is still nothing short of awesome.  Rock outcrops dominate the horizon while sage and cactus cover the searing ground.  Every ridge brings something new.

We just went through the area northeast of LA that was burned in a massive fire in 2009, the Station Fire.  We passed by a memorial for 16 firefighters who lost their lives and the evidence was all around us.  No shade to speak of and any tree still standing is black with char.  Fire is a natural part of the ecology for many of the ecosystems of the west and the desert is no exception.  There are plants specifically adapted to take advantage of a fire.  The Poodle Dog Bush (no idea what the scientific name is) happens to be one of them and is also a particularly unfriendly plant.  The seed pod lies waiting for a fire and once the landscape is cleared of any competitors the plant bursts open in a frenzy of green that just so happens to be incredibly toxic.  No hiker wants to find out if they are allergic to it so many walk the dirt roads for >30 miles.  Our best information says it is worse than a bad case of poison oak and the trail is not the time to go to the ER.

Now happily away from the Poodle Dog Bush we walk north in search of the High Sierras with promise of ample water and shade in another 250 miles.  But for now the desert is a beautiful surprise.

Happy Trails
~beads

365 miles

Greetings from the trail....  Every turn is another exciting view or flower or critter scurrying out of the way. Three days ago I took my afternoon ciesta at Deep Creek Hot Springs and the name does not lie.  These were absolutely incredible and exactly what the doctor ordered after 3 days of 25 miles in a row.  My feet seem to be holding up nicely but of course toting a backpack for a marathon distance is always a challenge when the hot springs are begging us to stay just a little while longer.  We have had some incredible climbs, just yesterday we climbed from 3,000 feet up to 8,000 and above the clouds, which is always a treat. 

Not everyone is having such a great time of course.  I have already heard of 2 friends I had just met weeks ago head for home.  At this point, stress injuries are the biggest factor.  A heavy pack and hot days are a prefect recipe for blisters and strained muscles.  The constant pain of blisters can quickly break down moral despite the best efforts from friends to just take time off for them to heal and come back.  The trail is a daunting task if one tries to think about the entire thing at one time and it is certainly overwhelming to have to make that decision.  I certainly wish Bug and Jersey all the best in their journey.  That's one big lesson of the trail: it's not about getting to the end that matters, it's about getting out there and experiencing the space in the middle that keeps us going.

Currently I am in the little mountain town of Wrightwood, CA and we will be following the trail northward again.  Our lovely cool mountains will soon dwindle and the hot, flat desert will be between us and the High Sierras.  But for now we are very much enjoying the cool weather and friendly locals each day has brought us.

Happy Trails

~beads

Critters

Greetings from Big Bear Lake Hostel near mile 265.  One tenth of the way, YAY.  Small steps goes a long way.

The trail has taken us up and over some of the most incredible mountains I never knew existed in the desert.  11,000 foot peaks loom over us as we traverse 9,000 foot ridges of chaparral forests with blistering desert below us.  The best hiking happens at dawn and dusk so many of us have gotten very comfortable with "cowboy" camping.  No tent, just roll out your mat and sleep under the stars.  Obviously it is a good idea to take food out of the pack so curious rodents dont chew holes in unwanted places.  Ants also have a habit of exploring gear for bits of food.  What we quickly learned is that animals also like the salt on our cloths and even our shoes if left out.  The desert is deserted during the day, hence the name.  At night, however, is when the desert comes alive.  Lizards catch moths, tarantulas are out prowling, scorpions even scuddle under our sleeping pad in search of warmth.  The snakes are out at night since that's when the mice are out as well.  I have yet to be startled by these critters while sleeping but until then this cowboy camping style is really nice as long as my imagination doesnt get the best of me.
Happy Trails
~BEADS

me playing with the locals

road block

tarantula.... not alive =-(

cute little black lizard dude

my first rattler encounter, boy was he pretty

Extremes

25 miles ago I climbed into another world.  So far the scenery has been a toasty combination of burning sun and little wind and shade.  But just north of the Pines-to-Palms highway we ascended into the San Jacintos Mountains where pine trees and thousand foot cliffs of solid white granite dominate the landscape.  I found myself at 8,000 feet with the most stunning surroundings that certainly even rival the White Mountains back east.  Incredible. There is a small mountain town that many hiker use for re-supply.  Idyllwild welcomes hikers with open arms and an enthusiasm I have not yet come across anywhere else.  Simply walking on the sidewalk in town with a pack on, every other car will slow down and offer a ride. 

The night before I was heading into town turned out to be 34 degrees with persistent wind that chilled everything it touched.  Even in a fairly sheltered valley near the gap it was difficult to stay warm with my desert gear.  Sure enough a frigid storm has been rolling through and many hikers are using it as a welcome break in a lovely little town.  40 degrees and rainy in town means it is 30 and snowing up above, not the time to be heading north.

A hikers' feet are perhaps the most important part of our bodies.  Hiking >20 miles a day certainly reveals any weaknesses and nowhere is that more thru than in our feet.  The shoes we use look more like running shoes with more aggressive traction than actual hiking boots.  The reason for this is trying to balance lightweight gear with function.  Furthermore, our feet literally grow so the size of shoe that a hiker starts with is hardly going to fit in a couple weeks.  The bones obviously don't actually get longer but the muscles and tendons stretch and spread out as our feet get stronger.  Some hikers go up as much as 2 sizes in the course of their hike.  Many hikers try to anticipate this and start with big shoes.  I started with shoes that were 1 size bigger and comparable to the size I ended up with on the Appalachian Trail.  Turns out that still wasn't enough, the desert heat may be a factor as well.  Luckily there is a great little outfitter in town that caters to thru-hikers in anticipation of the hundreds coming through needing to change their foot gear.  A small miscalculation can mean big injuries down the trail.  

Happy Trails
~BEADS