Day 3: The World has Turned

Part 1, The Desert: Day 3 

Miles: 18.43

PCT Mile: 50.17

Today the scenery changed dramatically as I hiked up into the Laguna Mountains in the Cleveland National Forest. I woke up at 5am, broke camp by 6, (I'm working on speeding that up) and was seriously charging by sunrise. My goal was to get 10 miles to Mount Laguna before the post office closed so I could pick up my resupply box.

I felt great because I finally had some sleep, only about 5 hours, but enough. The trail gradually went up to over 6,000 feet and left the desert, with green all over the place and there was even flowing water. I kept a good pace and suddenly there were Pinyon Pines; lots of them.

I was surrounded by beauty, and that made my morning.

By ten am, I was near the Sunrise Highway and heading to Mount Laguna, it was my first "10 by 10" (ten miles before 10 am). After asking people where the PO was and getting lost a few times, I wandered into town and picked up my box. There were other PCT hikers around; people hobbling across streets, packs lined up outside the general store, etc.

I /had really wanted to buy some decent food at this market, but the prices, especially for hiker food, were like 300% more, so I bought a beer and quietly drank it. My resupply box was mostly crap, but had enough food to get me about 50 more miles. The worst part by FAR of getting resupply food, is that my pack weight goes up big time. It was like having a small empire prospering on my back, but there's little I can do but walk North and deal with it. My feet were killing me at this point as well, but I'll just have to deal with it. They should get used to this weight eventually. 

I lost my spoon last night, so instead of eating ramen with my tent stake again, I went down the road to the outfitters, a shop owned by Dave, a PCT legend, who offers free Pack shakedowns. This is when he or another person goes through every item in your pack and tells you what you don't need; the goal being to reduce your pack weight. I declined, probably just uncomfortable with somebody seeing all the unnecessary crap i pack. we pack our fears, they say. I choose to carry the weight for now.

I bought a new spoon, chatted with Dave, and hobbled back to the campground and paid $1.50 for a cold shower and went back to the trail. The scenery continued to be amazing.

The trail was easy today and very straight, and I went much slower than usual and decided to rest my feet for an hour, so I laid on my sleeping pad in the sun near this sign.

Because, what could go wrong? I was hoping for a spiderman situation to happen for me, I learned something today. Whatever you put on the ground out here, including yourself, will be covered in ants when you pick it up. You've been warned.

I continued on until I came around a bend and my jaw dropped at the expansive view of the Anza Borrego Desert.

These photos don't do it justice, but it was insane. I got two Aussie's to take my photo. Eventually I moved on, trying to reach a spigot so I could get water to camp with. I made a packet of Idohoan Mashed Potatoes there and they didn't suck, hell it tasted great, because i bought some swiss cheese and threw that into the mix. At least I sent myself some edible food, if only a bit. 

I was losing light and needed to find a camp spot and I looked for about two miles in the swirling wind until I found a small valley to set up my tent, and I hope it's sheltered from the wind, or else this will be another long night. I think I'm headed back towards the desert and rain is coming this week!! I'm freezing my nuts off typing this out here as the sun sets, so g'night!!