Miles hiked: 17.9, plus 0.5 off trail.
This morning I watched some more bad TV then took advantage of the complementary breakfast. My leg was feeling real good, and I thought I might be able to slack pack the remaining miles to Cajon Pass without re-aggravating it more. What is slack packing? Well humor me this:
Warm layer? Check. Headlamp? Check. 12" Subway sandwich? Check? Tall boy Coors Light? Check. Basically just a day hike, in which you come up with some way to transport or otherwise deliver all your overnight gear about a day's hike up the trail, and cover those miles with a very light pack.
I called the taxi guy again, and the ride was no different than yesterday's. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, the cab driver is in school to be a policeman.
I started hiking around 10, starting slow over the first few miles to warm up the legs and get a s new for how the weird muscle pull thin was doing. Things felt good. I was soon walking along the shore of Silverwood Lake, with sandy beaches backed by step scrubby hills, a few fast motor boats doing small laps, and a shoreline somewhat foamy and smelling like warm fish guts. I had my sandwich and beer at a picnic area, got some more water, then set out on the remaining 12 miles to Cajon Pass. First off was a couple-mile climb. I saw a few aspiring PCT hikers out for the day, with their packs all loaded up. It was fun to be in the presence of their enthusiasm. Not that I've gotten jaded or anything about this hike yet, but we're all far enough in that we've started to get our routines figured out. We've started to get a bit used to this lifestyle. It's good to be reminded how unique an opportunity this is.
I felt better and better as I continued the climb, walking a bit faster at the top. Then began a long gradual descent. I slowed back down now, knowing that downhills are when this muscle problem acts up. The walk went well for the next 8 or so miles. I was side hilling down into a broad valley, along a steep scrubby slope (again). I passed a small stream with some shade and decided the best thin to do would be take a nap.
About 3 miles from Cajon Pass, the trail started a steeper descent, switchbacking down through fantastically eroded sedimentary hills, with White-throated Swifts apparently flying to cavities along the cliffs. But now things took a slight turn for the worse with my leg. I went as slowly as I had the patience for, but still aggravated my quad muscle. I took an hour and a half or so to do the last 2 miles, and ended up limping in to the McDonalds at Cajon Pass, which is a sort of famous PCT stop. Got some dinner, limped back to the hotel, had a shower and did some stomp laundry (term and technique I learned back in Warner Springs; clothes on floor of shower, stomping, you get the idea).
I ended up not seeing any other thru hikers today. I think I was sort of in a little gap, between people who made it out of Big Bear before the snow, and those who waited for it to melt. The hotel was also really empty of hikers tonight.
Birds:
California Thrasher
House Wren
Spotted Towhee
California Quail
Bushtit
House Finch
Common Raven
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Great Blue Heron
Black-chinned Sparrow
Western Wood-pewee
Swainson's Thrush
Lesser Goldfinch
Black-headed Grosbeak
Northern Flicker
Yellow Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Lazuli Bunting
Wrentit
Cliff Swallow
Black Pheobe
Downy Woodpecker
Western Tanager
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Lark Sparrow
White-throated Swift
Mourning Dove
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