Day 29, 5.18 miles

This morning I was awaken by the sound of the 6 hens sand roosters on the property. I was so tired and comfy that I went right back to sleep and didn’t wake up again until almost 8am! Soon after they were doing a call for shuttles into town for breakfast. I got my wallet and jumped in the truck!

Joe Solo, Shaman, and JJ Giveaway

I had a great French toast breakfast with a few of the boys. Shaman and JJ I met back around Jacinto in my first 10x10 morning. At the bottom of Jacinto I had met Joe Solo and Turbo-Stache. They had done 31 miles up from Idyllwild, to Jacinto summit, and then the 20 mile descent all the way to the water spigot!! They’ve since slowed down just a bit, and I’ve been leapfrogging them for a little while.

Turbo-Stache. And Julian in the back!

Yup, when the truck pulled up at 10:30 to take us back to Hiker Heaven, I saw Julian!!

Reunited! 

Julian’s Achilles tendon was really hurting him on the long descent into the KOA yesterday. He stopped there for the night last night and took an Uber to Hiker Heaven today. He plans on resting today, taking a full zero, and maybe hiking out tomorow.

Back at the Saufley’s the dogs were doing in the middle of their noon-time tradition. (Not dying, but napping!) I thought that was just a great idea and relaxed the day away. Aside from being lazy and eating a bunch, I did some research on my Sierra resupply strategy this time and coordinated a few boxes (including my bear can), to be sent from Portland. Thanks Claire!

I was going to take a full zero here today, but as always, I was getting antsy to get back on the road! My body felt great and the temps were right. I took the 3:00pm shuttle back to town, ate a HUGE salad with Julian at Sweetwater Farms Restaurant, and headed back out!!

More road-walking!!

The trail was beautiful in the late afternoon/early evening. I found a nice spot to camp around 6pm. I decided to come just this far tonight so that tomorow I can have a decent day and arrive at Casa de Luna for the famous Taco Salad Dinner!! (I’m so spoiled out here :p) The trail magic and awesome places that host us stinky hikers will become fewer and far between as we leave the San Diego/ Los Angeles area and continue up North. Gotta soak it up while we can!!

As for the Saufley’s Hiker Heaven, it was an amazing experience, I’m so glad to be so clean!!

Oh! Also, before I went to breakfast this morning I gave my down sleeping bag and puffy jacket to them to wash and they did!! That’s no easy task! (I’m nervous to wash super delicate things like that. But they’ve been doing it for years!) When the down gets dirty, it loses some of its heat and loft. Since I didn’t wash ether of those items in 2016, they had 1,300 trail miles of dirt on em! So thankful for the Saufley’s!!

Thanks for reading! :)