Mile 566.5, Day 51

Day 33-39 Cajon Pass to Six Flags (4/30 – 5/6):

After a restless night of sleep at Cajon Pass (and one last McDonalds breakfast), we hit the trail again for a really hot, steep stretch to Wrightwood. We had to enact the midday siesta break again to avoid melting in the heat. We cowboy camped group-cuddle-puddle style on a beautiful ridge with views of Mt. Baldy! We did a quick resupply in Wrightwood, and hopped back on trail that evening.

Our next 3 nights were spent at back country campgrounds that have picnic tables and bear boxes! There is nothing more luxurious out here then getting to eat a group dinner at a picnic table. We summited Mt. Baden-Powell on Day 35, which was harder than any of us thought it would be. There was so much snow, we didn’t have our microspikes, and it was very hard to find paths where people hiked. The switchbacks were ignored and all the use-paths through the snow just clambered straight up the mountain. I had a good fall and my water bottle went glissading down, but my recovery operation was successful. The views from the top were amazing! The quote of the day was “I’m not ok with the way you’re munching on that like it’s a granola bar” -Joe/Fiber King to Allie/Indie who was eating a block of dry ramen.

On Day 37, a group of 40 people day-hiked past us and gave us all trail magic in the form of apples, cucumbers, and choco pies! It was the morale boost that we needed on a hot and monotonous day. We took it slow on the mileage this stretch so that we could hit Six Flags on a Friday! Kerrie and I knew we wanted to go to Six Flags while on the PCT before we even started the trail, and it lived up to our expectations. Try moving only at a walking speed for 39 days, then getting on a roller coaster going 90 mph. To say our minds were blown is an understatement. We were all queasy by the end of the day… but it was worth it! One of the quotes of the day was “I wish I had my trekking poles” – Diana as we trudged through Six Flags.

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WEEK 5 STATS

• Week 5 Miles: 104.7 miles
• Week 5 Average Miles: 14.96/day
• Total Miles: 383.9 miles
• Total Average Miles: 10.97/day
• Resupplies: 1
• Showers: 1
• Favorite Trail Foods: clif nut butter bars, pesto pasta, cereal, bagel chips, baby bell cheese
• Least Favorite Trail Foods: trail mix

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Day 40 – Day 47 Six Flags to Hikertown (5/7 – 5/14):

The hot climb on the day after Six Flags was a low point for me on trail. I was EXHAUSTED from Six Flags, and it was hard, hot hiking. An electrolyte drink mix with caffeine and my mood booster playlist really turned me around after lunch though! By evening it felt like I was back home on trail.

On Day 41, we hiked to Acton where my amazing coworker, Donnelle, and her family brought us In n Out and pie!! We had been looking forward to it all day. It was so much fun to hang out, thank you Donnelle! We did our first night hike afterwards, and luckily found a flat spot to camp just when we were wondering if we were going to have to hike all the way to the next town that night.

We got to Agua Dulce on Day 42, and our friend Allie/Indie told us she was getting off trail. So of course we decided to spend the night in town and celebrate with her. Many margs later, we slept in an empty parking lot that allows hikers, and had a tearful goodbye the next morning. We miss you Indie!!

The next stretch was windy, hot, and steep at times. We hit the 500 mile marker, which felt like a big milestone for me. We hiked through a big burn zone with FORESTS of poodle dog bush (a plant that causes a huge allergic reaction if you so much as brush it with your skin). The plant also looks ridiculous (google it) and the quote of the day was “look at me, look how silly I am, touch me!” -Joe/Fiber King impersonating poodle dog bush. We also foraged Miner’s Lettuce growing along the trail to add to our ramen. Lastly, Kerrie and I switched our trail names! Kerrie is Barb and I am Star (based on the SUPERB movie Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar, check it out on Hulu!)

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WEEK 6 STATS

• Week 6 Miles: 70.6 miles
• Week 6 Average Miles: 10.08 miles/day
• Total Miles: 454.5 miles
• Total Average Miles: 10.82 miles/day
• Resupplies: 1
• Showers: 1
• Favorite Trail Foods: bear claws, bean dip w/ fritos, bel vita, tillamook white cheddar, cereal w dried instant milk
• Least Favorite Trail Foods: Lenny and Larry’s cookie, sweaty salami

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Day 48 – Day 51 Hikertown to Tehachapi (5/15 – 5/18):

We got into Hikertown, a hostel that looks like an old west town, and rested up before the infamous LA aqueduct section. It’s a section that’s notoriously hot and exposed with no shade, as we hike on top of the LA aqueduct and through one of the largest wind farms. Most hikers choose to do it at night, and we just happened to be perfectly timed for the Lunar Eclipse! Other thru-hikers sped up or slowed down in order to hit the aqueduct section for the eclipse, so roughly 70+ hikers set out in the evening decked out in glow paint and glow sticks with music.

The beginning was really fun; it was flat, the sunset was beautiful, the lunar eclipse was amazing, and it felt like a huge party. Once we hit the wind farm, that’s when it became hard. And by hard, it was the most difficult section mentally and physically I’ve ever backpacked. Mentally we were EXHAUSTED, I wasn’t able to sleep for 40 hours (many of them spent hiking). Physically, we had to hike through 50mph headwind and side wind for almost 30 miles. We ‘napped’ straight on the ground wedged halfway in a bush for a sliver of wind protection. We were essentially delirious sleep-deprived zombies trudging through the wind: one step forward, 2 steps blown to the side. It felt less like hiking and more like fighting to stay upright and on trail. One of the quotes of the day was “I don’t know where I’m camping, but I know I want to get out of here” -Diego. But somehow we did it, and we stumbled into Tehachapi drained and exhausted. We took a much needed zero day and got to enjoy a chinese food buffet. We spent a glorious day resting and recovering, because our next section is really tough as well.

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WEEK 7 STATS

• Week 7 Miles: 95.3 miles
• Week 7 Average Miles: 13.6 miles/day
• Total Miles: 549.7 miles
• Total Average Miles: 11.2 miles/day
• Resupplies: 2
• Showers: 1
• Favorite Trail Foods: teriyaki noodles, pulled pork sandwich, clif nut butter bars, nerd rope
• Least Favorite Trail Foods: anything while night hiking