Writing from mile 268.6, 2.5 miles up the trail from where we went into Big Bear for the night. Planned my rest day poorly again but resting in the shade to write this before heading off to camp!
Getting more in the hang of things out here! It’s been fun dialing everything in. More stunning views and more wonderful people. It has been getting tiring constantly meeting new people and leaving friends going different paces than us. But we’ve gotten to know a lot of people around us so have also been enjoying continually running into people we know.
Major sections of the hike included the San Jacinto wilderness which provided stunning views of mountains and surrounding desert. It was a little overwhelming seeing San Jacinto peak across the wilderness from the south and knowing we were planning to summit it less than 40 hours later. But we did it! We also hiked under I-10, by a neighborhood, and through a windmill farm. Starting to get more of the thru-hiker experience going through human interfaces and not just wilderness. Incredibly windy but kinda neat to go through the windmill farm. Another notable section was mission creek where the trail has been washed out so we journeyed through the wash for a day. We had such a good crew I didn’t really mind and was actually kinda surprised by others we met griping about it after. Maybe I’m just too used to scrambling over scree in Montana.
My pack has been feeling a lot better! I had an epiphany one day that I was packing my bag like a dumbo. I’ve always put my tent and sleeping things at the bottom because they’ve been heaviest when really my new tent barely weighs anything now. So I had my heavy food sitting on top right on my shoulders. Not anymore! Heavy food is at the bottom. Still getting used to the pack, but I think that’s how these lighter backpacks go. It’s feeling a lot better.
Hard parts have still been getting exhausted but that’s been improving a lot. Especially when I get a good nights sleep on the warmer nights. Also missing my mom out here with so much time to contemplate.
Highlights:
The two New Zealanders, Shisty and Sunshine, and Annie and I have been sticking together. I’ve been loving our tramily. It’s been an incredible squad.
Ran into our friends Anna and Max who we hadn’t seen since close to the beginning! Super fun to hike with them for a day. Philosophy professor Max and I had a long chat on terror management theory.
Took a 6 mile detour to hike up San Jacinto one morning. Beautiful sunrise and beautiful views from the peak.
Trail angle posting a hiker could stay at their hostel for free if he could use their Netflix account for the night.
Got down from San Jacinto Wilderness and were planning to stay the night in the valley before going to town but the wind was WHIPPING through the valley. We got the number of a trail angel Nitsy who hosts hikers so I called her at 5pm and asked if she had room. She hesitantly said she could squeeze me in. I replied errrr there’s five of us. And she squeezed all five of us in on her back porch! Drove us to In and Out on the way over too!
Getting more protein and less carbs for my meals and snacks! Am loving salami and cheese on a tortilla for lunch. Just got mayo packets from the deli in Big Bear so I’m even more excited about lunch.
Brit (from the Netherlands) being told she’s “going to town” when she was using someone’s massage ball and her replying “no I’m not going into town until tomorrow”
bomber goes for a walk 
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