Big Bear to Writewood CA, Day 37, mile 370

I left Big Bear feeling rather rested. I had a long 20-plus mile day the first day. I was hiking rather slowly, and my group went on ahead of me. I reconnected with them that evening and it felt good to be around friends. The trail followed a river much of the way. I was up above the river but it was so exciting to actually see water. One landmark is the rainbow bridge. There were several bridges along the way and we all enjoyed playing in the water and soaking our feet. Mostly the trail has been hot and dry. 

Rainbow Bridge

swimming in the cool creek

The next day I hiked onward to the infamous Big Creek Hot Springs. The PCT goes right by the hot springs it is so easy to stop. I had read that there were high levels of bacteria and fecal coli form in the water, and judging by the evidence of toilet paper under every bush, believe it. I chose to only put my feet in. It was very difficult because they are beautiful hot springs and I longed to put my whole body in. I did not take any pictures, I'm not sure why, Maybe I was just jealous!

For some reason, after the hot springs, I was a very slow hiker. It took me all day to get 17 miles. I'm at a point on the trail were fast people are blowing by me. There's a group of people that I am leapfrogging with but there is also a group of people that are really moving quickly up the trail. Last night I camped next to two gentlemen who rolled in quite late and ask to use my site. I left on April 15th They left on May 5th. It's a little difficult to not feel inferior. But I did pass the 300 mile mark and that was satisfying.

No too bad after a night of vommitting!

Well, there may have been a reason I was going so slowly. That night I woke up feeling very ill and I vomited several times. I normally am hitting the trail and walking at about 6:30 a.m., or earlier if I can. I hit the trail that morning at 8:30 and I did not feel good. The two guys that were camping near me left very early that morning and I was tucked back in a corner off the trail all by myself. I knew I had to get going but I felt so poorly that I didn't want to get out of my tent. I also realized that people could walk past me all day long and never know I was back there, tucked away feeling ill. I heard my friend Hatchet walking by and I called out his name. He stopped and we talked so at least one person knew that I was ill. He was going to hike 15 miles that day and stop before Cajon Junction. I was going to shoot for the same target so that I could hit Cajon Junction in the late morning. I don't know why I got sick. I have been treating my water and I don't think I ate anything strange. I did stop two miles before dinner last night to get water and I lost all self-control. I ate a bunch of coconut and an entire Theo's candy bar. I was pretty full but I ate dinner anyway because, well, it was there and I needed to get healthy food in me. I did not feel overly stuffed that night but obviously something didn't sit well.

A trail angel treat! There were oranges, water, hard boiled eggs!

I hiked about 3 miles the next day. The trail connected with a road for a short ways and then took off into the hills again. I began to hike into the hills. I knew that I needed to eat and drink so I tried to drink some water and felt immediately sick again. I hit a cooler with some trail angel treats in it and I wanted nothing to do with any of the food. I ran into a young guy named Taylor who was hiking back down the trail with some nasty infected blisters. I took his presence as a sign and decided that I could not hike 15 miles without eating or drinking so I paired up with him and we hiked back to the road and hitchhiked to Cajon Junction and got a  motel room. I slept and felt feverish for the whole day but amazingly I was able to leave the next day and I hiked 22 miles!

We had all been talking about Cajon Pass for days now. It is a tiny little spot right by I-15 that has a McDonald's, a Chevron station and a motel, that's it! People have been talking about what they are going to order at McDonald's. I heard they make really good milkshakes at the Chevron using real ice cream. Some people got excited to get a hotel room for the night and shower maybe even twice! My goal was simply to survive the day. I didn't eat any junk food due to my stomach. I ate oatmeal instead...yum! We all needed to stop at McDonald's on the way out of town to get water. It is the last water source for the next 23 miles of hot dry stretch and it was a like a party in there. I think it had been about 25 years since I had last been in a McDonalds.  

in bed with the flu...I think it was the flu.

I made to to Writewood just fine. It was really cold last night and when I pulled up into the campground just 5 miles shy of town, there was a trail angel there with a hot fire and burritos! He hiked the trail last year and just wanted to give back. It was so nice to feel the heat from the fire. I headed to bed right after eating and did not partake in the beer or the tequila. That way there was more for others right?

a tunnel under 1-15 on the way to Writewood

This a poodle dog bush. It will make you very sick and I
need to avoid even brushing up against the plant.

The area I hiked through was an old burn so was pretty hot and exposed.
Luckily the weather has been cool so it has been really tolerable.

Right before Writewood, the trail passes the ski area and the unused ski lifts...it is a bit surreal looking.

The PCT went right past this STOP sign. We all survived just fine!

Breakfast at the Grizzley Cafe was fantastic!

I was going to take a day off in Writewood but now I am thinking that I may start hiking tomorrow. I feel pretty rested really and ready to go. I am giving some thought to the Sierras and the snow but mostly I am thinking closer to home and developing some strategies about how to make it through the Mojave Desert. Sheesh. For being in the woods and not having anything to do...I have a lot to do and figure out and plan. 

I have already had to order a new pair of shoes because my feet have grown too big for this pair and I am getting blisters. I just picked up my new pair and I can't wait to try them on. Yipee