Day 23- May 12th

Day 2 of the fire alternate! We woke up this morning in Saltlicks sun room and had fresh coffee with agave! We didn't have to pack up a tent since we all fit on the two couches. She had just finished the Arizona Trail and gave us some food that she didn't go through like tortillas and some protein bars.

We were out of the house pretty early and back where we stopped last night by 7:30am! Thanks Saltlick!

We were still in Morongo Valley, and started up a biiiiig hill towards Yucca Valley. Luckily there was a small dirt road paralleling the highway so that we didn't have to walk on the busy highway.

Finally we made it up and over the hill and down into Yucca Valley. The first thing we saw was a 7-eleven and we stopped in there for some snack supplements and breakfast.

Passing by a dollar store, we decided to go in and get some toothpaste. The girl at the counter was very nice and she was amazed that we were hiking the PCT. It's always awesome to meet someone who has never heard of it; they hold us in such high regard, I never feel deserving of it!

Leaving Yucca Valley we headed North onto Pioneertown Road. Maybe 20 minutes into that portion of our road walk, a couple rangers, Kary and Lucas, pulled up in a truck and told us about a Preserve that they were responsible for and told us we could stay the night if it was convenient for us, and that we could fill up water there too, since we were about to start a 20 mile waterless stretch uphill on a road.

Kary the ranger 

All day along our walk people kept slowing down to offer us rides, ask us if we needed any water, or if we were ok. At least 3 people offered us places to sleep as well! I was blown away! I figured we were so far from the PCT that nobody out here would care about hikers, but the caring and graciousness surrounded us.

Miles later up some big climbs, we arrived at Pioneertown. Pioneertown is literally in the middle of nowhere. The town was established in 1946 by Roy Rogers and it's where they shot 80% or more of the old western movies shot from the 40's-70's. There are still a bunch of flat-boards set up and apparently they do old western stunt shows on the weekend.

The town is tiny, population probably under 100. The only happening spot in Pioneertown was Pappy and Harriet's. They are an awesome restaurant and bar that have been around for years and they have plenty of old decor and all kinds of cool western things.

We ate soooo much! This is starting to become a common theme. I mean, we gotta get these calories when we can out here!!

We were hoping to hang out there for a bit to avoid some midday heat, as we arrived just after noon. However they were so busy by the time we were done, we felt obligated to give up our table.

We walked through the "town (of 5 dirt roads)" looking for some shade. We spent a few minutes outside a really creepy yard-type attraction, and decided to move onward and upward.

Desert boat-model

We started a looooong hot road walk uphill, super full and eventually semi-delirious. Not in a bad way but more of in an everything is funny because I have no energy way. We were all in a good mood, and even though the road walk sort of sucked, we were somehow enjoying ourselves!

We had stopped under this bush on the roadside for shade (the only shade we could find). I was taking a trip to the nearby bush-room, when someone pulled up in a jeep and started talking to Claire and Josh for a while.

When I returned from the privy, they excitedly told me that the man had offered us water and a place to camp for the night, as everything around seems to be preserves or unused private property.

The house was right on our route, about 2 miles north. By the time we got there it was close to 5pm, and we had already walked 14 miles! So we decided to take him up on his offer.

We rolled up to the house and he came out to greet us. He said to make ourselves at home and offered us all some cold beer. 

His name is Jason and he is awesome! He works at Pappy and Harriet's and does sound check for all the bands that play there on stage.

We met the coolest cat I've ever seen named Django, he's a black cat that Jason found as a kitten in a windstorm on Halloween night 2014, the cat grew attached and hasn't left!

There are two Blu-Jays, (LL Blue J and Notorious B.I.R.D), that hang out around the property and they are Django's nemesis. 

LL Blue J

Jason was so awesome he left us to his house while he went to work. Told us we could cook, bathe, anything! He truly made his house available to us.

I'll have a picture of Jason and his girlfriend Jessica tomorrow. We stayed up a litttttle bit too late, and we're nice and tired.

-Thanks for reading!