PCT Day 12 – Paradise Lost

I wrote until 9:30 last night. That’s way too late because I get less than 8 hours of sleep. The morning comes too quickly, but I rise at once. Keith and I are on the trail by 6:15.

Hiking the PCT inspires wonder. The land around the trail seems vast and overwhelming. And yet the hiking experience inspires confidence.

I look behind me as I make my way down the trail today. A huge valley separates me from those far mountains. But I started my day yesterday beyond those mountains. I walked all the way here in one day.

I swing my view to the right so that I am looking southwest. There lies the Anza Valley.

The power of a name. Anza, Terwilliger, Table. I asked my son once why he kept some of his childhood toys. He said it was because those things held memories for him. I will never own these places I walk through, but knowing their name gives me a place for memories. Rock Creek, Kearsarge Pass, Hat Creek Rim. These places that I barely know, but walked through once, are now a part of my life. I dream of them. I recall them in quiet moments. I recreate them. They live in me.

Mary’s

There have been mysterious rumors about a water cache maintained by someone name Mary. The rumored location is just three miles from where Keith and I camped last night. I am still carrying that nasty red algae water from yesterday. I have enough to get me to the next reliable source. But it would sure be nice to have some fresh water now.

And then there it is. Hikers are gathered around the tables under an awning. It’s Mary’s.

It’s a quirky place. Life size cutouts of old movie characters stand by the water tank. Little handwritten signs are everywhere. Some of them explain that Mary is permanently closing this water cache after June 14. It’s too bad, but maybe someone else will start another one near here instead.

Early trail

Keith and I are heading to Paradise Valley Café this morning. It is an iconic rest stop for hikers on the trail. It sits on California highway 74, one mile from where the trail crosses the highway. But while my mind is on cold lemonade, my eyes are in the trail.

I have been trying to get a good picture of this showy little flower. I think I finally got a good one here.

And speaking of flowers, the pollinators are here, too. The bees on these flowers are key black.

My stomach has not been right for several days. It’s no the end of the world, but I have to rapidly dash into bushes several times a day. Today I have to sit down next to the trail until the nausea passes. I get some Imodium from Keith and start feeling better right away. I hope this takes care of it.

Paradise Valley Café

There are a bunch of hikers at the highway. A trail angel who goes by Magic Man is there offering iced down sodas. I grab an Orange Crush!

Hitching to the cafe doesn’t go so well at first, so we start walking down the road. Almost immediately, this guy pulls over. Four of us pile into his little vehicle.

By the time we order, about 20 hikers have descended on the place. I have a patty melt with cole slaw and lemonade. I get four refills on the lemonade. We sit with Hannes and Mika.

We spend two and a half hours at the cafe. Now we need a ride back to the trail. I am pretty good at getting them. We try hitching for about 5 minutes. The yields no results. So are start asking people as they come out of the cafe. (Yes, I am shameless.)

A family with a three-legged dog gets into their truck. I ask the husband if he can give Keith and I a ride back to the trail. He says he is full. I tell him we can ride in the truck bed. (This is illegal in California, but he looks like a guy who is not above occasionally breaking the law.) He asks me how far away the trail is. I say one mile. He goes HRMPH and gets in his truck. I think I have failed, when his wife opens the window and asks if we need a ride. Keith, another hiker and me all pile into the back and head up the road.

Back on the trail

From the highway it is 28 miles to Saddle Junction where we get off the trail to go into Idyllwild. We want to get as far up the trail as possible to make rest of the hike easier.

Keith an I have umbrellas for the desert. We decide to try them out now. It’s a shakedown cruise. Keith puts his on.

Mountains, like coastlines, can make their own weather. Here are clouds building over San Jacinto.

Keith’s water filter no longer works. The cistern from yesterday ruined it. We have to collect all our water with my filter.

The hike down to water and the time it takes to get water using my pump takes 1.5 hours. This sets us back so that finding a campsite becomes a issue. We don’t find one until 6:15.

It’s too late to make dinner, so I choke down some triscuits, gummy worms and chocolate wafers for dinner. It’s been a long day, but fun too.

• May 16, 2023
• Starting marker: 142.9
• Ending marker: 159.7
• Miles hiked today: 17
• Total PCT miles: 160