Miles hiked: 6.9.
Up at 5 and hiking at 5:25, determined to make it to Idyllwild as early as possible to have as much rest time as I could. Descended down into the beautiful Garner Valley, with big meadows and scattered Jeffrey Pines and sage and other shrubs and Northern Harriers and Northern Mockingbirds. The sun was just creating the high ridge to the east that I descended from last night, the morning was clear, and the temperature was cool. Awesome hiking conditions but my Achilles was pretty sore right from the first step this morning. Definitely planning to take a zero day (0 miles hiked; today is a "nearo", with just a few miles walked) tomorrow.
In time I crossed hwy 74 and walked the dirt service road under some power lines, still on the "unofficial detour". I called Libby while I walked to get some advice on the leg. After a couple miles the detour spit me into the shoulder of the highway, and I walked along occasionally crossing little bridges with Cliff Swallow colonies for another mile or so.
At this point I decided I needed to be not hiking any more, and in stead needed ice, ibuprofen, and a place to sit down. I was somewhere near the Hurkey Creek Campground (alternate route mile 10.7), I stuck out my thumb and within about 17 seconds had my first hitch hiking ride of the trip. I chatted with the middle-aged woman about the area, and after 5 or so miles she dropped me at the turn to Idyllwild. Just then the Idyllwild post mistress was driving by, and she quickly scooped me up into her old pick-up and took me the remaining 5 or so miles to town.
I spent the rest of the day trying to be as stationary as possible, first at a coffee shop, then at the state park campground right at the edge of town. I did take care of a couple errands: got a new spoon and picked up my resupply box. I also got some ice and spent most of the day switching it between my Achilles and knee, which wasn't really that bad, but why not? You Again and Angie found me, and lounged around awhile eating townish food.
I had dinner with Taz and 3 new hikers I've met in town: 2 ultra-runners named Tim and Angel (real name), and Zack, a former Navy man turned werewolf on stilts and other odd acting jobs type of guy. My work with the penguin project came up, and a possible trail name was rather forcefully suggested: Chilly Willy (there's a penguin cartoon, look it up). At first I wasn't too sure about it, but after a while I began warming to it (Evan B., if you're out there reading, that one is for you). In limited release amongst focus groups it's received good reviews. I like how it suggests a funny, possibly embarrassing trail anecdote, but is really just about something totally different that is very dear to my heart. I'm going to try it out over the next week and see how it feels and if something comes along that grabs my attention more.
Birds:
Wrentit
California Thrasher
Bewick's Wren
California Towhee
Mountain Quail
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (I've actually been hearing gnatcatchers nearly every day I've been in scrub, but for no good reason didn't determined me what species until today; there's a chance some of the earlier ones could have been non-Blue-gray...)
Mountain Chickadee
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Black-chinned Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Northern Mockingbird*
Bullock's Oriole
Northern Harrier*
Western Scrub-jay
Western Bluebird
Western Wood-pewee
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Western Meadowlark
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