Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Day 27

Day 27
5-15-2014
Miles 308-313.36
-Hanging at Deep Creek Hot Springs all day... waiting to hike out until night time when it cools down
-Police helicopters flew by and blared horns over the creek... not sure why police would do that in a PUBLIC USE area. We weren't doing anything wrong. Maybe the police have something against good hearted people who enjoy nature?!?! I'm not sure why law enforcement felt the need to ruin my wilderness experience with intimidation tactics to scare us off land that I have a permit to be on. It really pissed me off. I appreciate it when law enforcement actually PROTECTS AND SERVES... but when law enforcement gets on their high horse and decides a to bully a certain demographic of people for the pure sake of puffing up their feathers, it REALLY makes my blood boil. The fact that I live an alternative life that differs from mainstream society is not an invitation for law enforcement to step in and keep a closer eye on me than they would on anyone else. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!! 
-Ate tons of candy, cheesecake, and drank beer that towns people brought down to us. 
-I night hiked out with Tin Man and a new kid named Black Swan. The full belly, full moon, smooth trail, cool breeze, good weather and our 3 personalities all meshed together PERFECTLY. We had the best time ever, just laughing and laughing our way down the trail. We had such a great connection and that's one of the best nights I have had on the trail this year. We didn't use our headlamps because the moonlight was outrageously bright. We had so much fun and talked a ton... so we only hiked out 5 miles... but it doesn't matter. The hike was fantastic.
-Black Swan's awesome commentaries
-Moonrise... between the mountain and the clouds
-Rats nest
-MF (Spillway) Gutter Rats
-"Questions of Speculation"
-Moonlit pools, the plateau
-The stone throne
-Skinned knee
-Dancing through poison oak
-Echoes at the spillway
-Ended up at the MF Spillway

Day 26

Day 26
5-14-2014
Miles: 298.32-308
-OMG! Woke up and hung out with lots of hikers on the beach at the river all morning. 
-Tin Man and I eventually hiked out and it was SOOOO HOT!!!!!! Ugh! It was miserable hiking weather. 
-Passed the 300 mile marker which was exciting. 
-Made it to Deep Creek Hot Springs where I relaxed in both the river and the hot springs. I didn't put my head in the water because there was a rumor about some bacteria in the water that can kill you. It was so nice to relax in the hot springs. 
-Tin Man, Mountain Mama, and I decided to hike out at night. Once we were a little ways up the trail, we all realized we were tired and wanted to go back to the hot springs... so we turned around and back tracked! Hahaha... I can't believe we went back. 
-Set up camp in the exact same place I camped last year. 
-It was a full moon... so TONS of local hippies came out to the hot springs for a moon gathering. It was an interesting crowd to hang out with, but lots of fun. Hippies and hikers usually get along pretty well. There were nude people everywhere as well. 
-Right before I was going to bed, Tin Man and I were looking out over the river and at the canyon walls surrounding us. We saw a hiker coming down an insanely steep part of the canyon. I thought the dude must be a jackass for hiking in such a precarious spot at night. I was half way concerned for him, and half way amused by him. We watched the hiker make it safely down the cliff and cross the river. Then, the hiker walked our way and asked where the hot springs were. Tin Man told him how to get there. The hiker recognized Tin Man's voice and said "Is that Tin Man?" Tin Man replied that it was him, and he asked the hiker for his name. The hiker said "I'm 1-track!" Tin Man and I knew 1-Track and we both were excited to see him... but I couldn't quite remember exactly who 1-Track was. After a few seconds of trying to remember, I realized that 1-Track is my older BROTHER!!!! How crazy is that?!?! 1-Track flew back to Texas for knee surgery and I knew he had flown back out to get back on trail, but neither of us knew where the other was. It was 100% pure happenstance that my brother and I ran into one another at Deep Creek! How kismet! Yay!
-I'm happy I turned around and went back to Deep Creek, because I ran into my brother!

Day 25

Day 25
5-13-2014
Miles: 280.46-291.33 (Holcomb Creek)-298.32 (Deep Creek Bridge/Splinter's Cabin)
-While taking a siesta at Holcomb Creek with Tin Man, a girl came down the trail. She was absolutely beat and having a hard day. I convinced her to put her pack down and to rest with me and Tin Man. I told her our plan to night hike and invited her to come along. She was really hesitant because she wanted to make her miles for the day, but eventually she agreed to rest up and hike out with us once it got cooler. Her name is Kathleen. 
-Once the sun went down, Kathleen, Tin Man, and I hiked to the Deep Creek Bridge/Splinter's Cabin area. We found a nice little beach right in the river where we slept.  

Day 24

Day 24
5-12-2014
Miles: 266-280.46
-Nice to FINALLY be back on trail after taking what seems like a million zero days in Big Bear Lake. I was getting sucked into the comforts of town. 
-My pack is HEAVY, HEAVY, HEAVY because of all the fruits and veggies inside of it. 

Day 23

Day 23
5-11-2014
Miles: Zero Day in Big Bear Lake
-Mother's Day... took pictures with my heart shaped hot pink dry erase board that had a Mother's Day message written on it. All the other hikers loved my idea, so I took pictures of everyone with the sign so they could send their picture to their moms. Moms are great and mine is the BEST! I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!
-Grocery store... bought tons of fresh food to pack out. Also got rear ended on the ride to the store, but no one was injured. 
-Tin Man, Bow Tie, Julia "Button", and I got a ride out of town and back to the trail with the Big Bear Lake city planner, Janice Etter. What a sweet lady! I really appreciate her help and generosity. Thank you Janice! :)
-We didn't arrive to the trail head until later in the evening. Bow Tie and Julia "Button" hiked out, but Tin Man and I ran into hiker angels Rock Ocean and Camel... so we camped at the trail head, ate really well, and hung out with those guys. 
-Offered a seasonal job at the hostel. I'm considering this as a work option in the future... but I'm still not too sure what I should do with my life. Maybe all I should do is focus on actually LIVING my life, and let that concept guide my decision making. I spoke to my mom who said I should do whatever makes me happy in life, and if seasonal work makes me happy and allows me to live the life I want, then that's what I can do. 

Day 22

Day 22
5-10-2014
Miles: Zero Day in Big Bear Lake
-Checked out of cabin and went back to the hostel because it was less expensive than the cabins. I saw so many hiker friends at the hostel: Solstice, Mountain Mama, Funny MoFo, Terra, Tin Man, Man Bear Pig, Doc, Snake Charmer, Sarge, Spirit, Mover, and many others. 
-Mailed my bucket and tent forward
-Went back to the sports bar for the best fried pickles ever where I played a game of pool with Snake Charmer, Doc, and Salsa. Had lots of fun and I taught the guys how to 2-step. 
-There was an issue at the sports bar, so we left and went back to the hostel. At the hostel, Man Bear Pig and I decided to walk over to Murray's Bar to meet Mover & Tin Man. Then we relocated to a bar called Avalanche where I really wasn't on the same vibe (crazy club music and young girls tripping all over their high heels). Even though the club sucked, I got to know Man Bear Pig better. He is a cool kid and he has a VERY INTERESTING life story. He has been straightening out his life by thru-hiking... we have a good deal in common. 
-Went back to the hostel and crashed on my top bunk. 

Day 21

Day 21
5-9-2014
Miles: Zero Day in Big Bear Lake
-Loved the cabin and jacuzzi so much that I rented my own cabin for privacy. The hostel was great and so was sharing Jacuzzi Dude's hot tub... but I needed my own space and privacy for a night. 
-Accidentally mailed my bounce bucket to Big Bear CITY instead of Big Bear LAKE. Both are located next to one another, but it's still a long distance from a backpacker's on-foot-perspective. The hostel owner (Grayson) have me a ride to the post office so I could get my mail. I gave him money for gas. 
-I later ate pizza in town, took a shower and a bath, did my hair and make up, and did my laundry. It felt great to get cleaned up and relaxed after an all-nighter!