June 3. Day 33.

Vasquez Rocks to Green Valley Fire Station (PCT mile 478.2).

Miles hiked: 25.3.

Got up at 4:30 and was hiking by a little after 5. While I was packing a bunch of coyotes took up a raucous yammering in the bushes near my camp. There was also either a Mockingbird or Thrasher singing through much of the night. The Vasquez Rocks in the light of  the setting moon were spectacular, with complicated eroded caves and spires and alcoves sure to be hiding something mysterious. Big white yucca flowers punctuated the scene.

Next I walked through the quiet seeming town of Agua Dulce, at least it was pretty quiet at 6 in the morning. The business district is almost half a block long, with a few buildings holding various small town stores. I left my shoes in the hiker box in front of the cafe and hardware store since I didn't have any practical way to mail them anywhere and didn't want to carry them for 5 days to Tehachapi. I also made myself an ear/neck shade out of an old torn up hat I found there. The outskirts of town had lots of little horse properties, which got bigger as I left town. 

A few miles outside of town I came upon Maestro and Chatty Kathy just having some breakfast. I was expecting them to be at least 20 or so miles ahead of me, but it turns out a lot of the people who left the KOA ahead of me ended up having a bit of a party for most of the day in Agua Dulce. They ended up getting out here to camp at around midnight.

The trail climbed up a hill to a ridge then dropped down the other side to a spring flowing from a pipe. As I made the climb, the marine layer off to the west drifted over where I was, and the swirling fog surrounded me and blocked my view off the ridge. No matter, there was entry close in up there to check out. A Say's Phoebe was kiting on the wind, and at least 3 different kinds of Mariposa lily were all over along the northern slope of the ridge.

After getting water at the spring, I began what ended up seeming like a long monotonous march through more dry scrubby hills. The trail descended off the first ridge then climbed another, through chemise and scrub oak and some areas of sagebrush and Yerba santa. The fog remained and kept things nice and cool, almost cold with the wind, and this was a welcome surprise from the expected hot day. Around 1 I stopped for a nap and some snacks, and ended up staying almost 2 hours. I was on a ridge top, tucked in behind some chemise out of the wind and fog, and with my down jacket on. Guess I didn't really need to get up so early to beat the heat.

It was after the nap that the day really seemed to drag on, the trail seeming to make an endless traverse in and out and around slopes of chamise and manzanita. The feeling of an endless trudge was somewhat compounded by a frustrating misread of the map that led me to believe I was farther along than I really was. I replayed scenes from Top Gun and listened to all the Black-headed Grosbeaks singing.

Got in to the Green Valley Fire Station around 6:30 and found Slingblade, Ladybug, Ranger, Kobaine and AZ there, all setting up camp. There is a famous trail angel house just 2 miles down the road from here, Casa de Luna, where many hikers go to stay for a night or two or a week. It's apparently quite a bit of fun, but After almost 2 full days at the KOA I didn't want to interrupt the trail rhythm I'd just gotten in to with another night full of outside influences. In stead I camped at the fire station with this mellow crowd. We had a nice relaxing evening, despite a bit of traffic on the road, and got to bed fairly early. A couple Great Horned Owls card in the trees above as we said our goodnights.

Birds:

Northern Mockingbird

California Towhee 

Western Meadowlark 

Common Raven 

Mourning Dove 

Bewick's Wren 

Wrentit 

Western Scrub-jay 

Rufous-crowned Sparrow 

Oak Titmouse 

Black-chinned Sparrow 

Brewer's Sparrow 

Say's Phoebe 

Black-headed Grosbeak 

Phainopepla 

Bushtit 

California Quail 

California Thrasher

Ash-throated Flycatcher 

Great Horned Owl