Fuller Ridge to Ziggy and the Bear’s (290.5 to 210.8) Daily miles: 20.3 Slept hard and woke at half past 5.  Hiking by 6 and trying to get miles before the sun gets too hot.  I have to go all day without a water source so I’m trying to conserve.  I eat some poptarts and … More May 15 (Day 14)

State Campground in Idyllwild to Fuller Ridge TH campground (179.4 to 190.5 + 11 miles alternates – 4.5 PCT miles) Daily miles: 17.6 Wake up early and walk the deserted streets.  Change your name/forget your face.  Roam the hillsides and head to the mountain.  Pass the people walking slow and don’t stop.  Go up 1, … More May 14 (Day 13)

Zero Day Idyllwild is a resorty touristy place with friendly people.  I do my laundry and the lady who owns the place gives me free detergent and some loaner clothes to wear while I wash my dirty ones so I don’t scandalized the townsfolk.  Coffee house, library, pharmacy for an Ace bandage (foot’s swollen and … More May 13 (Day 12)

Ridge site to Idyllwild (miles 161.9 to 162.7 + 20 mile fire alternate) Daily miles: around 20.8 Today’s the big fire alternate day.  I hike 1 mile down the PCT and reach the trail closure.  Once there, it’s the Cedar Springs Trail all the way down off the ridge and then road walking for the … More May 12 (Day 11)

Boulder Field to Ridge Site (miles 144 to 161.9) Daily miles: 17.9 Morning’s nice and cool and I coast the 7 miles to highway 74.  I stick my thumb out for a ride down to the cafe where I can get a hamburger and some water but can’t get a ride.  I’m not very confident … More May 11 (Day 10)

Trail Angel Mike’s to Boulder Field Site (miles 127.3 to 144) Daily miles: 16.7 Way up there’s the ridge and you were just on the ridge half an hour ago.  Human are moving up there, little dots.  Sometimes they look to go invisible.  I hear their voices loud and bright but can’t make out what … More May 10 (Day 9)

Warner Springs to Trail Angel Mike’s (mile 109.5 to 127.3) Daily miles: 17.8 Last night looked like hobo city in the field of the city park.  There must have been 30 tents spread out.  We would be a sight to behold if this wasn’t an annual occurrence around these parts. I walk to the post … More May 9 (Day 8)

Barrel Springs to Warner Springs Community Center (Mile 101.1 to 109.5) Daily miles: 8.4 Sleep gets better and easier each night.  By morning most of the previous day’s pain is gone and I take my time packing things away this morning since I only have a short day today. I walk through brown rolling hills … More May 8 (Day 7)

Scissor’s Crossing to Barrel Springs (PCT mile 101.1) Daily miles: 23.8 My camp mates were hitching 13 miles to the nearby town of Julien, but I was ready to get hiking.  I took off into the San Felipe Hills, which kind of seemed like mountains to me.  This part of the trail sees almost no … More Day 6

Campsite at 61.5 to Scissor’s Crossing (PCT mile 77.3) Daily miles: 15.8 The tent shook and rocked and flapped like a thing possessed until the early morning.  But held.  At some point wind smiled, rested his small chin on his shallow chest, and left.  Wind never says goodbye. By morning rain had taken up, and … More Day 5