Since we don’t have to check out until noon, we have been very leisurely this morning. We made and drank up all the coffee that came with the room, (plus turning some of it into “redneck mochas” by adding hot chocolate powder.) We also ate some instant oatmeal that we got from the hiker box. Then we moseyed over to the store, and there were three hikers going through their resupply boxes. One young guy was astounded to find that his mom (who had mailed the box) had added a solid chocolate 1 pound bunny. “This is more than I can possibly eat” he groaned, “here everybody— have a piece.” So we all broke off pieces of bunny, and stood around eating and talking. “What’s your name?” was asked of each, and someone pointed at the guy with the bunny remnants and said, “Got it! You are Chocolate Bunny!” So we all chimed in, “Chocolate Bunny! Chocolate Bunny!” The poor guy got so embarrassed and pleaded, “No, no! Please don’t name me that!” But it was too late.

Note from Alexa: I have a feeling his mum will become famous for that stunt. This is an excellent example of how people end up with their trail names.

Our plan for the rest of today is to go on a walkabout to explore all the facilities of this resort (which are considerable) eat some odds and ends for lunch, hang out at the pool with the hikers, have dinner and then head out, back to the PCT. Our packs weigh a ton— 7 days of food (includes a “cushion” for the difficult Desert Divide snow) plus water for 27 miles of hiking. But the weather is beautiful again— clear, cool and calm. We are rested and ready to go!

After another soak in the hot pool, Bill decided not to leave Warner Springs after dinner as planned, but after lunch. So I ran around taking pictures before we had to go. Many buildings here are from the 1830s, and are really truly adobe and still in use! When we went to the mini-mart to grab an ice cream on our way out, there was Warner Springs Monty, and he offered us a ride back to the PCT in his truck! Then we began our 14 miles of truly wonderful PCT trail. This is Southern California at its best— beautiful, dramatic mountains studded with huge boulders,  creeks that go singing and cascading down narrow rocky canyons lined with huge trees, long grass and wildflowers.

We zigzagged up Agua Caliente Creek, crossing it several times. Then we switchbacked up to stunning views. At one of them is a big flat place with a trail down to a spring, and a large thruhiker encampment busily being set up. We wondered which trail there was the PCT, and one of the hikers grinned wickedly and said, “you should know by now how to tell which one is the pct— it’s the trail that goes up!” Sure enough, it was! We put in several more ‘up’ miles through an area that in 2005 had just been devastated by fire. Much is regrowing— what a difference! Had a hard time finding a flat, clear, non-charcoaly campsite. It is 40 degrees and getting colder, but clear skies!

Walk to Rivendell: Boundary of Cardolan

Our “oak duff mattress” under the big oak tree gave us a wonderful night’s sleep. The cows thought so, too— they spent the night bedded down around us, but left at dawn. We slept in untill 6:00am before leisurely making our way along Agua Caliente creek, and then on to Warner Springs. First thing was to get a room, clean up a bit, then to breakfast at the golf course restaurant. There were only four golfers— all the rest were hungry hikers! Main topic of conversation was, “Yikes! The snow!” Everyone is debating what to do about the Desert Divide, three days hike from here.

Next agenda item for me was laundry, and I made it just in time to start my load before someone else. It was so cold (60 degrees) that I brought my sleeping bag to sit in on the laundry room floor. While our clothes dried, I had a great time talking to a hiker from New York state who was once a submariner on the Nautilus! Awesome! Then I headed for the hot pool for a good soak. Bill and I feel like we’ve been “jell-oed.” We had time to read, get our box from the post office, plus some goodies from the hiker box, and then spent awhile trying to figure out why/how so many bees were getting into our room. Before we figured it out, one of the rascals stung me! Oh well!

A continual parade of hikers can be seen here— the ones just coming off the trail look tired and grubby— the rest of us clean and relaxed. At the pool, we enjoyed both the hot soak and the conversation— lots of different topics. Hikers have wide-ranging opinions! Before we went for dinner, Bill discovered that the terrific winds yesterday (we learned at Warner Springs that some of these gusts hit 50mph!) had literally blown his mosquito headnet right out of its storage pocket on the side of his pack. So we will order more fabric and have it sent to Agua Dulce at the Saufley’s, where I can sew him another one. On the bright side, the weather is improving, the flowers here are beautiful (iris, lilacs, roses…) and at dinner we had a chance to talk with a very interesting chap who was at ADZPCTKO and had a book on hiking the Israel National Trail. He let me borrow it for awhile to look at, and it was fascinating. The author warned in the beginning that his friends often tease him about lapsing into Welsh, because after all, the book is in English (the only English guidebook to the trail) and sure enough, Welsh phrases popped up all over the place (always translated, though).

Note from Alexa: Mae hynny’n ardderchog!

The chap we were talking to has hiked all but the south portion of the trail, and after looking at the book, I can see why— it’s rugged desert country when sometimes the “trail” is a ladder down a canyon wall. But talk about geological beauty— wow! So that was a fun read, and Bill also called ahead to Big Bear City’s “PCT hiker rest stop” to tell him we hoped to be there by May 7. Oh, and the guy with the Israel National Trail book also told us he and friends had been up in the Desert Divide / Fuller Ridge just a short time ago, and he thought we would make it through just fine!

Walk to Rivendell: Still The Barrow-Downs (presumably captured by the Wight!)

At 3:00am, Bill and I had to get up and rig the tarp. It had clouded over and a light mist was coming down. At 5:00am we got up, and when we came out of our cozy gully, we were shocked to see rain coming down, just across from us on the other side of the valley. Out came the rain-gear. The wind was fierce, and got worse as the day went on— but it never really rained on us— we were on the “dry side” of the valley, with the cacti and ocotillas, all of which had at least some flowers! Very pretty, but walking a narrow trail with the wind slamming you around and cacti waiting to “bite” your ankles got tricky sometimes! The views were spectacular, especially when some sun broke through and there was a huge rainbow.

By 11:00am, we’d reached the famous “3rd gate water cache” where a group of thruhikers were hunkered down out of the wind. And what a wind! There were several times when I literally could not make progress against it! We topped up our water, and after awhile, we could see the Montezuma Valley and finally the beautiful big oak trees of Barrel Springs. Then surprise! Another hiker oasis with lots of free food! We enjoyed hot chocolate, hot dogs, chili and conversation. Then it was several more gorgeous miles of huge wildflowered meadows, the famous Eagle Rock, and camp under a venerable oak tree (soft oak duff! Ah— like a mattress!) A herd of cows came over to watch us for awhile before they made camp, too!

Walk to Rivendell: The Barrow-Downs

Another hiker passed us (in our cowboy camp near the trail) at 4:45am, and laughed, “you guys call yourselves hikers? How come you’re not up yet?” We cracked up laughing and decided he was right, so we hit the trail before sunrise. My “I will not be scared of big dropoffs by the trail” got a good workout today— but oh man, the views were awesome! It was a very pleasant day to hike— the only downside was an unbelievably rocky trail almost all day. The wildflowers were very nice— one whole valley was carpeted with yellow!

We managed NOT to get lost at Chariot Canyon this time! By lunchtime we were already at Rodriguez Truck Trail, and the trail rumor turned out to be right— there was an awesome hiker oasis setup. We headed straight for the free showers and showered with all our clothes on (we were really hot and sweaty). The breeze dried us in no time while we ate our lunch supplemented with cold juice. The “oasis guy” is an avid horseman who told us about riding the length of California on the old “CA Riding and Hiking Trail.” He’s having a blast hanging out with us hikers!

We mushed on to Scissors Crossing, where all the others stopped to camp. But the wind was howling, so we went on for another hour, switchbacking up to a cozy, sandy gully we spotted in 2005, and made a great camp there.

Walk to Rivendell: Bonfire Glade in Old Forest

Today was a day of one spectacular view after another, since we were climbing up to and along the Laguna Mountains. We were cheering about being able to do the really tough climb early, while it was still cool, till Bill noticed a potential disaster— “Monty, your trek pole tip is gone!” Oh no! We walked back down, hunting for it, and finally, near the bottom, along came “Noga”, who had found my tip! Whew! Back up the hill again, till pine trees, green grass and snow patches replaced the chaparral.

We got a great lunch at the Mt. Laguna store, where the entire long porch was lined with jolly thru-hikers. A guy sitting by us was eating a pint of ice cream. “It’s a pint at every resupply now,” he joked. “Then farther along, it’ll be a half gallon, and by Stehekin, it’ll be a gallon!” We then moseyed over to the picnic area for a two hour rest, plus rinsing out dusty, sweaty socks and shirts. By 2:00pm we were on the PCT going past one spectacular “big dropoff to the desert” view after another. Tonight we are near Pioneer Mail picnic area.

Walk to Rivendell: In woods near Stock-brook