May 11, 2016

Tylerhorse Canyon (mile 541.5) to Oak Creek Canyon (mile 558)

Miles: 16.5

The alarm went off at 5:15am. Not enough sleep for Andy. He snoozed for 15 more minutes, then finally got going.

We were on the trail at 6:15am, determined to conquer the two climbs of the morning before the heat consumed us.

This stretch of trail is especially pretty at this time of year. We are loving it. The wildflowers, the green hills and the sometimes cold wind are awesome.

At 9:30am we turned the corner and ran into trail magic. Yatzee!!

Chairs and water and recycle bins and trash cans. Wow.

Laurie and I took our shoes off, relaxed and massaged one another’s feet. After about fifteen minutes a truck pulled up. We waved and they waved back as they drove away.

A few minutes later we heard a car again. It was the same truck. They must have driven up the road to turn around and come back. They were Robert and Patti, locals who maintain this wonderful oasis along with Robert’s brother Donald.

Every few days come out and check on the supplies. This morning they brought more water, green apples and oranges. Apples and oranges!!

We both helped ourselves to fruit and thanked Robert and Patti multiple times for their support. The random acts of kindness continue to amaze us and touch our hearts.

Thank you Robert and Patti! We really, really appreciate it.

At 10:30am we finally shouldered our packs and headed on down the trail.

We didn’t make it very far as we were distracted by the wildflowers, horny toads and lizards. We saw flowers of all colors today along with 4 honey toads. The ones here have red horns. We’re not sure if they are females or males.

We took a few dozen photos in a handful of miles. We gave ourselves permission to do this because the temperature wasn’t too bad, especially with the cool breeze blowing.

We descended through a burnt forest, chatting about this and that and making to do (and to eat) lists when we get into town tomorrow.

At 3pm we found shade under a tree and took it. The wind had died down and the temperature had risen. It was hot. We felt lethargic and didn’t want to move, but with less than 3 miles to go before camp, we encouraged one another to get up and get going.

With the wind turbines buzzing overhead we descended into a shady oasis and looked for campsites.

It’s dry but buggy here. But there’s shade! Laurie was fading but we quickly put up the tent and she crawled in.

“All I want to do is lie down” expressed Laurie.

“You got it” Andy reassured her.

We got into the tent and drank electrolyte drinks, ate a few snacks and felt better.

Since we had service, we blogged, posted on instagram, made phone calls and relaxed.

We want to go to sleep at 8pm tonight because we have to wake up at 4am tomorrow morning. We have a ride scheduled for 8am at Hwy 58 and we have 8.2 miles to hike.

8 by 8. We’ve got this!

Tonight we’re grateful for suprise fruit in the desert and blooming desert plants.

May 10, 2016

Bushcamp (mile 522.1) to Tylerhorse
Canyon (mile 541.5)

Miles: 19.4

Our campsite last night was a huge score. The wind died down to a pleasant breeze – just enough to keep the bugs away, the temperature remained mild and the ground, soft.

We both woke up excited for different reasons. Laurie excited to take pictures of the sunrise and Andy because he finally slept a night without his IT bands hurting. He may have figured out a system to sleep without waking up 4 or 5 times to reposition. The experiments continue…

We set off around 6:30am with the heat steadily intensifying. We walked on the widest trail yet – pavement covering the aqueduct and adjacent dirt road. We wandered back and forth – walking on both surfaces to offer variety for our feet.

Andy figured out how to attach the umbrella to his pack and happily walked along under a 3 foot circle of shade. After a shoes off break around 9:30am Gabriel loaned his umbrella to Laurie and the 3 of us continued on walking 3 abrest before the heat of the day scorched us. It must have been in the 80s before 10am.

Because of our early start and flat miles we completed our first 10 before 10 (10 miles before 10 am.) Suprisingly it felt anticlimactic – as if we already knew we could do it.

Talking with Gabriel as we walked provided a nice distraction for both of us and helped the miles roll by.

Around 11am we made it to Cottonwood Creek. At this wonderful oasis trail angels had left Gatorade and filtered water in a cooler. The city of Los Angeles maintain a faucet that unleashed beautifully cold water, and a bridge provided shade. Shade!!

We couldn’t believe how many hikers were taking a respite under the bridge.  Some had stayed here the night before while others, like us, walked there throughout the morning.

We were reunited with James, Oolong, and Meta, hikers we hadn’t seen since Ziggy and the Bear’s. They all thought we were ahead of them and we thought they were ahead of us. Funny how that happens.

It was interesting seeing people again after a few weeks. Everyone looked a little more weathered: dirty, bearded and happy.

We rolled out our Tyvek, sat down and enjoyed lunch.

Soon we decided we’d wait out the heat of the day and hike again around 3pm.

More hikers we knew showed up, including Pornstar and Amanda. We also met new faces, including Tank Girl and High Roller.

We stretched, journaled and chatted with other hikertrash. Periodically we inched over as the sun encroached in our shade.

Finally around 3:30pm we got 7 liters of water for the 6 miles to a dry camp. Our hike was mainly through a wind farm and as the name suggests, it was very windy.

We had strong headwinds and knock-you-sideways winds. As strong as the winds were, we appreciated the cool air they delivered against our hot and sweaty bodies.

At 6pm we made it our projected campsite at mile 540.3. Two hikers in separate tents were already set up there, so we decided to hike on.

We climbed back into the wind and 1.5 miles later switchbacked down to Tylerhorse Canyon.

Many flat campsites greeted us along with a running stream. We don’t know what’s feeding this stream but we are very grateful for it.

We quickly chose a campsite and put up the tent, allowing Laurie to make our home for the night while Andy went to the stream to get water for tomorrow and the day after. We have a 25 mile waterless stretch ahead of us and are going to take 6 liters each- enough to last us until we get into the town of Mojave 1.5 days from now.

But tonight, we did not concern ourselves with this. We instead enjoyed falling asleep to the sound of crickets and a babbling brook.

Goodnight.

Tonight we are grateful for bridges providing shade in the desert and intimate conversations with other hikers.

May 9, 2016

Bushcamp (mile 503.5) to buschcamp (522.1)

Miles: 18.6

Last night was another windy one. Our rain fly flapped in the wind, unhooking itself from one of the front stakes and was covered in mud this morning when we awoke.

We took our time getting ready – rolling the tent and crumbling the now dirty and wet rain fly. Andy carried the tent and Laurie took the rain fly and Tyvek groundsheet. Everyday our system of who carries what portion of the tent changes – at times due to aches and pains, and other times because of sheer stubbornness.

What was covered in a blanket of fog yesterday evening was now basking in the morning light. The tops of the trees across the ridge displayed the entire spectrum of green with some orange and brown colors mixed in. It looked and felt like fall. Really beautiful.

And quite unexpected. The last two days of hiking have been a real treat.

We walked back into the enchanted oak tree forest carpeted by miners lettuce for a few more miles before the trail opened up into a meadow. The grasses danced in the wind as we walked past. Andy couldn’t help but smile. He loved it there and wants to go back in the future.

We descended on an old jeep road down towards the valley floor. Far below and across the highway were large green circles we presumed were some sort of agricultural establishment. And across the desert were more mountains a few days walk away.

We switchbacked down, stepping over down trees and past yucca plants. We crossed a road and encountered a sign which read “Stay on trail – PCT adjacent to shooting range.” This was unnerving but at least we were hiking through in May – outside shooting and hunting season.

Andy lead most of the day as it was prime rattlesnake territory. The sun was warm and the chill of the previous night felt like a distant memory.

We walked up and down small hills, past bright orange and yellow poppies and other small but beautiful flowers. Finally we reached a dirt road that eventually intersected highway 138.

One of our Instagram followers patrols this area and brought us cold water. Thanks for the refreshing water Pat!

We then crossed the street to Hikertown – an odd but fun place with lots of mini buildings. We hung out for a few hours with other hikers, charging our phones and eating lunch.

We reunited with Gabriel – another hiker we originally met at Ziggy and the Bear’s and saw again at North Fork Ranger Station. The 3 of us set out together around 4:30 to walk the aqueduct.

We’ve been looking forward to this experience.

We walked east along the California aqueduct for a few miles before turning north and walking along one of the two LA aqueducts.

We walked on the aqueduct initially and then transitioned to the road once the novelty wore off and the tiny spikes became bothersome to our feet.

We walked past a Joshua tree forest and Laurie’s excitement and admiration for the trees was reignited. We decided to camp near a cluster of Joshua trees and watched the sun fade to the west.

It was a wonderful day and nice transition back into the desert. We enjoyed seeing familiar faces and meeting new hikers at Hikertown.

Tonight may be one of the best camp spots yet!

We’re hoping to sleep early and get an early start tomorrow as it’s going to get hotter over the next few days. Over 90 degrees by Wednesday. Eek.

But that’s all to come. Right now, we enjoy where we are and whom we are with.

Tonight we are grateful for beautiful desert landscapes and new moons.