For awhile this morning, we were still in the “burn zone” and following the PCT as it alternated between slipping and sliding across mountainsides (sometimes the trail had just totally fallen away), or pushed through thick weeds. But the early morning light was very pretty, and  finally we were out of the “burn” into just nice, normal trail. When we reached the PCT trailhead parking lot, we discovered a sign that said the PCT was closed, and a barricade to make sure that the message was clear!  Oh well!

 By 8:00am we were at the KOA in Soledad Canyon, where we cleaned up and ate breakfast.  I had been hoping that somebody in the campground would spot us and offer some hot coffee (that has often happened for hikers in the past) but nobody was even stirring.  After enjoying our granola, we headed back to the trail, which promptly entered what I think would best be described as a “jungle.”  It was hard to figure out which way to go.  At one point, when we were hesitating, along came a Czech guy coming BACK from what had looked like it was the PCT, but wasn’t.  Good thing we met him!  We were saved from going that way, too.  Finally we noticed a few pink flags, figured “Maybe that’s the PCT??” and followed them.  Hooray!  We found the official PCT railroad crossing, and from then on, the trail was easy to follow.

The PCT takes off from there and wanders all over (I think the idea is to give us a chance to admire the rock formations?) but we finally reached the ridgetop where we could see Agua Dulce and the freeway.  We cheered, even though we still had quite a way to go before we got there.  The trail headed down a pretty little creek canyon, then turned left and contoured for a long way, paralleling a creek below the highway, as the day grew steadily hotter.  We reached the dark tunnel under the freeway (it was so dark in the middle of it that I could not see, and was feeling my way with my trek poles).  At the far end of the tunnel, resting in the shade, was a very hot, very tired Czech guy.  “I kept thinking it was only another 15 minutes to the Saufley’s” he groaned.  He was not pleased to hear that there were considerably more than 15 minutes of hiking left!

But now we were headed into Vasquez Rocks, which were as awesome as ever. It is so obvious that they were laid down and shaped by massive amounts of water, very quickly. There are lots of caves, too, and what I liked was that there were signs to identify many of the plants.  Little creeks were everywhere, swarming with tadpoles.  I kept slowing down to look at things, which Bill found frustrating–he was on a tear for Agua Dulce! 

We stopped for a hot lunch in the shade of a huge pepper tree, and while we were eating, along came a lady on a gorgeous dapplegrey horse, who asked “Are you headed for the Saufleys? At 4:30 I will give a ride to Walmart for any hiker who wants one.”  That sounded good, and we hurried into town and headed for Hiker Heaven.  Last time, someone spotted us and gave us a ride, but this time we had to walk the whole way.  So we arrived all tired out and hot and very grubby.

We were greeted by “JJ” (one of Donna Saufley’s volunteers) and the SIX dogs.  JJ said that Donna had quit her regular job in order to help her husband Jim in his business, so she has no more free time to help the hikers.  Being a great organizer, though, she recruited a whole gang of volunteers to take her place!  So the Hiker Heaven “system” still works, and soon we were showered, had our clothes in the laundry, and raided the refrigerator for ice cream!

At 4:30, the “horse lady” came as she’d promised, and soon we were on our way to Walmart.  Turned out that the dapple gray horse we’d seen her riding was being trained for “eventing”.  Also in the car with us was her daughter, who was headed for a gymnastics class.  So while the daughter was at her class, we had 1 1/2 hours to “do” Walmart.  I got all the food we needed for ourselves, plus plenty to share with other hikers.  Once we returned to Hiker Heaven, we ate up all the leftovers in our packs, plus a large salad.  A steady stream of hikers were coming in.  Turned out that everybody had reached Agua Dulce by a different route!   Some of them cheated, though.  They just said, “Oh phooey on the detour!  I hate roadwalking!” and had hitch-hiked to the Saufleys!

We went to bed early, very tired, while many of the younger hikers sat up late talking around the campfire in the yard.  We are sleeping on folding cots in one of the big white tents.  It’s turned into a chilly night, but oh, is it good to be here!

Walk to Rivendell: On path lined with white stones which began at the Ford, with first views of Rivendell.

Tags: Agua Dulce, Hiker Heaven, Soledad Canyon, Vesquez Rocks