Day 14: Rocky climb out of Big Bear

Day 14 – 5/5/16

Highway 18 266.2 to campsite 286.68
Total miles: 20.48

We got up and ready at around 5:45 so that we could get pocket up by Tami by 6:30.  Unfortunately while standing outside waiting we learned that their rental car wasn’t starting for some reason. Well, looks like we are hitching.

We walked to the street and Jim dug out a shirt he had made that says “hiker to trail” on one side. We stood out there for all of 5 minutes when a guy in a mini van gave us a ride. Awesome! On our way to the trail we saw a coyote running in the dry lake bed. My first larger animal sighting.

We got to the trail at 7 am and we we off. The goal was to go about 20 miles with water in about 9 miles. The trail was pretty rocky and hard on the feet. Saw a deer too!

We made really good time and got to the water source just before 10. I couldn’t believe how fast we were going and how great I felt. I took a 30 minute early lunch break and then took off. Except my speed was much slower.  Mt Achilles tendons were very sore and trying to go faster than 2.5 mph was painful.  In fact just walking was painful.  Not unbearable but enough to be annoying.

I came around a corner and saw Justice laying on the ground in the sun. I stopped to talk to him and he was also feeling crappy and not able to go his normal speed. Jim came around the corner a few minutes later and wasnt feeling great either. What the heck is happening?

I did some stretches and are some crackers but I didn’t want to wait much longer since everything tightens up and makes it harder to get going. I shoulder my pack and move on. Slowly.

The good news is the views all day were spectacular.

A few hours later the trail makes its way down and looks to be heading towards a creek we planned to camp at. I came across a wooden fence enclosure with a solar panel sticking out.  I open the door and find its a toilet. Kind of. More like a hole in the ground with a seat. I did not pass up the opportunity!

I made my way to the creek and I find more of a trickle and stagnant pools of water. The area was also very windy. I waited for Jim and Justice to show up and we decided to go a bit further to see if the water flows better along the creek since the trail follows it for a couple miles. We get to a part where it passes under a dirt road and the creek runs through some metal tubing. The water seems to be flowing better there so I grab a couple liters.

We continue on for another half mile or so and come across a flay area where it isn’t so windy. By this point I’m exhausted and ready to get off my feet. I set up camp quickly, eat some dinner, and pass out for a couple hours. My feet hurt so bad. The bottoms around my heels are sore and seem red. Today started off great but ended super crappy. Luckily, we have a short day tomorrow to set up for deep creek springs the following day. Apparently You can’t camp within a mile of the springs and we follow it for close to 20 miles. So we are going to set up a mile before it and then the next day go through deep springs.

Apparently it is very popular on the weekends since it is a hot springs and there is a lot of people that hangout there. It’d also not recommended to get water from the springs since there is a high amount of  fecal matter. Gross.