Day 15 - Wednesday, May 12

At the Motel 6 in Big Bear, CA (Left trail at mile 266.1).  Walked 30.6 miles today.

Well I certainly pushed the envelope today and more than I expected.  Woke up after my first solo camping night on the PCT and left camp at 5:40 to begin the day with a big climb.

Yesterday, when I got to camp at 3:45 pm, I contemplated hiking another 3 miles to a campsite further up in Mission Creek.  I felt like I had handcuffed myself though because I had told Lost and Found where I would be if she wanted to meet me at camp.  Turns out that was a good decision because the campsite was in a burn area with blackened trees all around.

It felt super sketchy to be there even for the few minutes that I stopped to get water.  Pushed on and reached a ridgeline that I walked along for a while with great views.  I had been slightly contemplating pushing to town last night and again this morning when the allure of town food, a bed, and a toilet that wasn't a self-dug hole in the ground.

I was doing the math in my head and figured I might get to town at around 6:00 pm if I hiked at 2.5 mph.  About mile 250, I passed what may be the most depressing point on the trail, a zoo made up of all the animals that have become docile as a result of their work in Hollywood movies.

Luckily saw no animals from the trail.

Got some cell service and texted Emily to see if she had gotten to town yet.  She and some others were just getting in and offered me a room with five other hikers if I got there tonight.  I figured that was too many people, but I recalculated my walking time and figured I had been walking more than 2.5 mph, so now my town arrival was more like 5:30...well that's a little more reasonable.

Did the math on when I would get to my planned campsite that evening and it was about 2:30 pm at a 2.5 mph pace.  When Emily's next message came through reporting that the "miles go fast in the last stretch", that sealed the deal and I began to really push for town.  Walked along at a brisk pace, weaving through pine and juniper forest before descending a bit.  Someone made a creative mileage marker for the height of the International Space Station from Earth being equal to the distance we had walked.

The terrain was pretty easy and much different from that initial climb in the morning.  Eventually the pines turned to the desert scrubland that I've come to know for the past 200 miles.

The view of the floor of the Mojave desert then came into view.

Saw my first Joshua Tree of the trail, signaling my arrival in the Mojave.

About mile 25, my feet started to hurt from the repeated pounding but I kept on hiking.  From 2-3pm, I kept track of my mileage to find out just how fast I was going since my ETA was more like 4:30 now.  Turn out I was somehow going at a 3.4 mph clip...I'm either in really good shape or these mileages are off! Pounded out the last few miles and reached the parking lot.

WARNING - Mom, you may not like some of the details that follow.  Read at your own risk.

A couple cars were there and I sat down to contemplate my options when a lady in the nearby SUV asked if I needed any water.  I told her I was ok but asked if she was going to Big Bear.  She said she was but she doesn't give rides.  I told her that was fine and she suddenly changed her mind saying that I had "good energy" (keep in mind that my feet hurt like hell and I'm exhausted from walking 30 miles, so I had basically no energy...).

That was red flag number 1.

Her name was Sarah and we chatted briefly while she smoked a cigarette.  She chatted really quickly, repeating herself and jumping from topic to topic.  Not sure if she had mental health issues or if she was on something, but that was red flag number 2.

I dumped my stuff in the back and got in.  She told me how she drove all around the US this past year, visiting almost all the states.  She then told me how she's been arrested "like 13 times, but none were felonies.  Actually one might have been a felony".  She said she doesn't like authority and can get a little violent sometimes.  It was at this point when I regretted leaving my pocket knife in my pack, now sitting in the back of the vehicle...lesson learned.  I was glad we reached the motel right about the time the less-than-casual racism rant started so I didn't have to engage in that discussion.  She kindly refused any money and gave me a pack of gum...I figured she could have used the money for the next time she needed to make bail.  Hitchhiking has been full of interesting experiences so far.

END MOM WARNING

Got a room, shower, started laundry and then walked the 1.4 miles to the grocery and back.  Stopped at a diner and got some dinner on the way home.  Finished the laundry, stretched (a LOT!), and got ready for bed.  I've now officially walked 10% of the PCT.   This was my first 25+ mile day, my first marathon (26.2 miles) day, and my first ever 30+ day of hiking.  Back to the trail in the morning and hoping my feet aren't as sore.