Journey Day 18 | PCT Day 18

Pausing in Pelona highlands, Tehachapi range in distance.

5/4/85

Awoke at I-10 rest stop. Bought coffee from a church lunchwagon. No cups, serve yourself. The rest area was hopping. As I washed my face in the bathroom, I noticed a bum asleep propped up on a toilet. All sorts of strange folks were wandering around as we struggled over to the post office at Whitewater Canyon. Got my tent, rain pants in the mail, mailed back another 14 pounds of gear (35 total unloaded).

At the post office, the proprietor of a Riverside County retreat for alcoholics agreed to feed us. As we waited, a mixed bag of teetotalers cleared the house, sat and smoked, played various roles in this dilapidated but cheery retreat center. Like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the atmosphere was pleasant, but almost hopeless. 

Enjoyed large breakfast, later walked up road toward the San Bernardino Mountains. Came upon San Gorgonio Aqueduct, a popular hangout spot despite prevalent “No Trespassing” signs. Washed socks, drank from waters rushing from the aqueduct. A guy gave us beef jerky and we wandered on up to a trout farm where we hid from the heat until late afternoon. Keith pigged out on half-pound chocolate bars.

From the trout farm, we found our way back to the trail. Up a creekbed we hiked until we came upon the California Boys again. The group is actually called “Earth Flight, An Assault on the Pacific Crest Trail.” The leader, Scott Darling, hails from Glendora, California. He is joined by Alex Jones and Kurt Jackson. They had hiked to Whitewater, gotten a ride to a friend’s home and slept in beds, then gotten a ride to the trout farm, avoiding a hot, 5-mile roadwalk.

Here, a mile from their drop-off, they’d stopped for a break in the creekbed. We talked, then hiked with them about a mile. Stopped for another break. During our hike, one of them told us of his championship in the Arcata human-powered vehicle competition.

Hiked a bit more until Keith’s heel caused us to stop at next creek ford, meandering at a 90 degree angle and creating a nice background sound. The sand made it seem like camping on a beach.

Erected my new tent with Keith’s instruction. Small, but very snappy. We’ll see how it works in inclement weather. Took out a book for the first time on the hike and played a harmonica I’d also carried from the Mexican border without using once. It’s the perfect backpacker instrument: light, compact and hard to sound too bad on.

Fatigue to Big League?

I’ve become a proficient backpacker in the past three weeks. I am organized, competent and able. A large part of this is my improvement in conditioning. Though I thought myself in top physical condition from kickboxing and swimming, I was unready and fatigued for most of the first two weeks of the hike. I was barely subsisting, having eliminated basic tasks that had been routine. 

Since my ability to sustain the tough pace has developed and I’ve had time to improve my technical camping, I’ve taken up these tasks again.

Three days ago I began brushing my teeth again. It was one thing I had little strength to do at the end of each hiking day. It also called for water, which was so valuable. I never felt I had enough. There were other things bothering me or on my  mind.