Had a bit of a wobbly morning as so many people were leaving the trail. A Bristol girl I met at Frodo and Scout’s was on her way out of town to go home, and a couple of Aussie’s were making a planned exit.

But a call to Fleur and Harry’s sponsorship gave me a boost.

Tim (McGyver59) turned up with his wife so I regained my crampons (which were in his mail box to Wrightwood). I hope we can link up on trail later.

Wrightwood is a very friendly place, all the locals love a chat so spent most of the day chatting. I’m feeling refreshed but still think I’ll leave Wednesday. A local barman (Ryan) has offered a lift to the trailhead as long as I watch Liverpool vs Barcelona first! May well take him up on that.

Tomorrow I need to organise my resupply (probably a week of food to get me to Agua Dulce – the intervals between resupply are getting longer). Also I need to bounce my axe and boots up to Kennedy Meadows.

A trail angel is putting me up tonight (and tomorrow if I stay) in her caravan. My companion is ‘Easy Strider’, the 6’7″ owner of the feet I posted yesterday. Oh, and there are lovely cats here – plenty of cat cuddles! Will post pictures tomorrow – I hope Stormy won’t get jealous!

This is where I stayed last night:

Well today was the equivalent of climbing Ben Nevis from Fort William with a full pack, in hot weather, while having to carry all the water I’ll need.I actually started my earliest so far, 6.45, and finally got to Wrightwood about 4.20. Even then I didn’t quite hit my target, as I was spent and descended into Wrightwood via the Acorn Trail.Ironically after 360 miles through mountain and desert, without a single blister, I slipped in Wrightwood 100′ from my destination, ripped my trousers and bloodied my knee.Ironic really.I’m actually quite wrecked so I’ll take a zero tomorrow.

After the company and food of the previous night I slept much better and got up pretty early – it’s so much nicer preparing breakfast on a table!I left at 7am, most unlike me, and polished off the 13 mile gentle descent into Cajon Pass by just after 12.It was a bit of a shock, from the wilderness to a 10 lane highway with multiple railway lines! But…. there is a McDonalds! Those who know me know that I wouldn’t normally be excited by this, but I had been obsessing about milkshake, and it was so good.Better still, Jim turned up by chance (he’d been in the Best Western hotel).Hiked another 5 miles out from the pass, climbing all the time to a nice campspot.Now tomorrow will be fun, lots of climbing and I really want to get into Wrightwood – but it’s 21 miles. We’ll see how it goes.

As usual up last and feeling very stressed. I packed up quickly to escape the insects and set off.

The day only got better from then on – I got signal! So lots of time speaking to Fleur and receiving Stormy pictures

The weather didn’t get as hot as yesterday and often there was a good breeze to keep things cool. I decided on a reasonably light day and selected Cleghorn Picnic Area on Silverwood Lake as a decent stop, about 14 miles.

For most of the day the terrain was similar, skirting contours with little water available.

However just a few miles short of my destination I was greeted with this:

It was a bit of a paradise. Moreover, just as I was thinking of filtering some warm water I’d collected earlier, a pickup pulled over on the small section of dirt road I was on and gave me an ice cold litre bottle! Random trail magic and much appreciated.

At the picnic area there were four others to start with and we soon grew to about 17 – I had met roughly half. Soon talk moved to pizza and it transpired that a local town delivered here! Pizza for dinner, and leftovers for tomorrow.

We have benches, water and a toilet block. Utter decadence.

Plan to make it to Cajon Pass tomorrow and assess there. May make it to Wrightwood on Sunday night, or failing that Monday.

Now an amusing foot picture – small foot is ‘Sparkles’ and the large a 6’7″ Viking

A long day of 19 miles over landscape and terrain much as yesterday. The trouble is, as we drop in altitude the temperature rises, and it’s now getting uncomfortably hot at times.There was some relief, hot springs which were rather like a free outdoor spa!But, a milestone:Camped down at under 3000′ next to Deep Creek and it’s hot, humid and there are loads of insects! Hid inside my mosquito net before dusk.

Started the day with a lift from the hostel along with Jim (McGyver59) and Mild Sauce (aka Chelsea). Mild Sauce is doing what we did yesterday, so we set off in opposite directions.Although today was hot, the gentle winding paths through forests and valleys (albeit still at over 5000′) made progress easy and at one point Jim and I were headed for a 20+ mile day. Unfortunately Jim twanged a tendon so we sensibly cut it short at Bench Camp. Still, 16 miles is still a decent distance.And now, Epithany Toilet anyone?If these trail conditions persist I will be arriving at Cajon Pass a little sooner than anticipated.

Well, today was a breeze. Freed of too much climbing and weight I polished off 13 miles in 4 hours, including chats and with everyone we passed.

In the afternoon ate more of mammoth backlog of Bolognaise… Might be breakfast and lunch tomorrow too!

Setting off to Wrightwood with a full pack tomorrow, though the terrain looks easier than recent days.

A nice zero and my body is feeling refreshed. Had a nice cooked breakfast which Victor kindly bought for us, and lots of coffee.

I bounced my ice axe and boots on to Wrightwood in case Mt Baden Powell has snow when I arrive. The great thing is that if I don’t open the box the forwarding is free.

Big Bear Lake has a good selection of resupply options and the Dollar Store helped keep the cost down. I am fed up of eating out when in town so made a pasta Bolognaise – maybe I over catered because this is the leftovers…

But never fear – tomorrow we are doing a ‘Slack Pack’. The trail is pretty much South-North up to Big Bear but then takes an abrupt left turn and runs West-East for a while. This means that after about 12 miles hiking you actually end up just as close to Big Bear Lake as when you started. So to ‘Slack Pack’ is to leave most of your gear in Big Bear Lake, hike the miles and come back! That way you get the miles in and take one days supply off the heavy carry to Cajon Pass. Ingenious.

In my case, due to the leftovers, dinner is waiting for me!

I’m very weary and in need of a zero day so today was really a quick 13 mile march to the highway and a ride into Big Bear Lake.

So I have two nights at the Big Bear Hostel, owned by a ex-soldier called ‘Sarge’. He was actually present during the Hizbullah bombing of the marine compound in Beirut in 1983. Remember that? I seem to remember that in retaliation the USS Missouri bombarded the Druze in the Chouf Mountains. Who of course had nothing to do with it.

Anyway, I really like the hostel, perfect for hikers. I, and my clothes, are clean again!

The next section is long one to Wrightwood via Cajon Pass. There are resupply options but they are awkward. I may send a box ahead to Cajon Pass, or just make do with what I can find there.

My filtering routine, more than once a day:

I woke very anxious, not sure why. The others are early risers so I only attempted to get up once they left, about 7.30am. I did have a decent breakfast though, coffee and ‘biscuits and gravy’ – this is indeed an American breakfast food. Barbarians 😉

Such was my torpor and the climb ahead of me (at least 2500′) I intended to take a short day of only just over 10 miles.

However the terrain and weather changed in my favour and the possibility of getting to Big Bear Lake tomorrow spurred me on to 18 miles.

Currently at 8600′, it’s windy tonight but not the type of cold I was getting in the San Jacintos.