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.

Got up and left roughly with the others, having only a couple of breakfast bars and intending to have coffee and more breakfast once I got to Mission Creek. The 6 miles there were uneventful except for a rattlesnake in the bush next to the trail….. tiptoe past!

I felt invigorated after my second breakfast and coffee, and I needed it since the trail then followed Mission Creek upwards for the rest of the day. The snag is that last winter there was exceptionally high rainfall and this small creek became a monster of 100′ wide and washed everything in its path away, including any bit of the Pacific Crest Trail. So spent the day piecing together the surviving sections.

Happily caught up with Jim and Victor so spending the night with the same guys.

It says a lot about the diversity of this trail that two days ago I was hacking though ice and enduring sub-zero nights and now I’m in 30° + wondering how many litres of water I need to keep hydrated!

Had a passable breakfast at the cheap hotel then we headed to the Cabazon Post Office. I sent my winter gear onto Big Bear Lake (just in case I need it for Mt Baden Powell). There was a bit of a reunion as Frog King and Loch Ness were there also and luckily the latter gave us a ride to the trail (he is taking a few days off with a bronchial infection).

The walking started with a flat section heading away from the interstate and then a tough climb which was very exposed to the sun.

However I was rewarded with a spectacular view of Whitewater River. After 10 miles any water worries were over, indeed it was hard to cross the river as it was flowing fast.

So to end the day we had an idyllic site next to the river and a spectacular moon rising (pretty much a full moon tonight).

Well, after yesterday not a lot to report today. The slow descent from 9000′ to around 1000′, getting warmer as I went. Water consumption went from very little to several litres in the last 5 miles.However my trail name was proposed and seconded – ‘Rescuer’. Sounds better than previous suggestions so I may keep it!Once I reached the interstate highway I10, I got an Uber with a nice guy called Sami from Jerusalem – got a chance to chat in Arabic.Cheap night in Banning and my first Taco Bell. Not a bad place for cheap calories!Of course I reached the 200 mile point today:Sorry about the shadow, there was no way to avoid it!