Days 36 - 39 (May 27 - 29): Miles 478 - 526

On Sunday we left the Anderson's in the late afternoon and did our first night hike. We hiked untill 11pm. We found a cool little cave along the way and took a few minutes to explore.

We were all pretty tired on Monday and ended up doing 18 slow miles. The sun was hot so we spent most of the day lying around in the shade.

On Tuesday morning we did 10 miles into Hiker Town. Hiker Town is like a small fake "wild west" sort of town with of bunch of buildings and store fronts. Some of the small buildings have all sorts of props like military uniforms and guns in them. We had a great lunch there with pork sandwich, ice cream and sodas. Then we left really late in the afternoon and did another night hike along the Los Angelos aqua duct and into the Mojave desert. The walking was pretty easy but we were tired and only walked until about 10 pm.

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Days 34 - 35 (May 25 - 26): Miles 452 - 478 & another zero!

On Friday I left the Saufley's around 5am and did the 25 miles into Green Valley where the Anderson's also welcome hikers in there home and feed them taco salads at night and pancakes in the morning. They have a huge back garden with a small forest that is like a maze where they allow you to camp. Very cool place.

When I got to the road I had to hitch in about 2 miles to the Anderson's place. I started walking down the road and all of a sudden Rian stopped beside me in an old Subaru. He had gotten in earlier and a guy at the Anderson's, who was hiking south to meet some friends, asked Rian to drive him to the trail in the guy's car. On the way back he picked me and a guy called Portrait up. What luck! And who else but Brian and Ngu happened to be another mile down the road so they jumped in the car as well.

It's now Saturday and I'll probably stay here for today and most of tomorrow and head out late Sunday afternoon. There is a great cafe nearby which we have already visited two times and will probably visit again tomorrow. The Anderson's had a big barbeque and lots more hikers came in today. Many hikers that have been here a while pitch in to help. Hikers that came in the previous day were making burgers for the new hikers as they came in. The Anderson's are amazing, they feed dozens of hikers every day and drive them to and from the trail.

Ankle is better but was still a bit sore after 25 miles yesterday. With some more rest today and if I manage it right I'm hoping it will improve and only get stronger.

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Day 33(May 24): Zero Day

So today was mostly a lazy day for me at hiker heaven. I had breakfast in town with Brian and Rian (now named Chimi because he loves his chimichanga burritos so much). Myself, Chimi and a guy called Fairway did some minor fixup work on some of the bikes the Saufley's supply to hikers to go into town with. It really has been great riding a bike around the last two days. We rode into town last night for a few margharitas at the mexican place.

The Saufley's are really great people and it's amazing to me how they open their home to hikers. They are  generous people and I understand why people love spending zero days here.

Most of the people that arrived yesterday headed out tonight. I'll head out early tomorrow morning and according to forecasts it should be cool so I might push all the way to the Andersons at Casa De Luna. It all depends on how the ankle feels.

The trail has been great so far. The people on it as well as those in the trail towns are mostly surprisingly friendly, open and they bring so much more to the trail because of that.

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Days 31 - 32 (May 22 -23): Miles 424 - 452

So Tuesday was a pretty tough day with more road walking and then a very hot descent into the valley with sections of very brittle trail. I thought I would never get down there. It was tough on the ankle.

I was so glad to get down to the KOA RV park at 4pm. They had a swimming pool which was awesome! Rian and Brian were also there with a group of other hikers. We got a few beers and there was a place closs by to order burgers from. Heaven!

On Wednesday we had a short 10 miles to Agua Dulce and and Hiker Heaven where a couple called the Saufleys host hikers every year. Great place and Ill probably stay here untill Thursday night to resupply, rest up and to eat some town food!

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Day 30 (May 21): Miles 400 - 424

Today was a long one with two road walks. The first was a 4.7 mile detour around a section of the 2009 station fire that ran along a dirt road which eventually descended to Mill Creek Ranger station. I did this during the hottest part of the day. The second was on a tarmac road that was closed to public vehicles. This was to avoid the poodle dog bush along the trail. Poodle dog is a nasty plant that causes similar affects as poison oak.

A guy from Boston called Highlife caught up with me from the ranger station. We walked past the memorial of two fire men killed in the station and then through a previous correction camp which was totally destroyed by the fire. It was a very eerie place.

I camped right after this on a helicopter landing pad probably used during fire fights.

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Day 29 (May 20): Miles 381 - 400

Well today was quite a tough one for me. It started with a long descent to Islip Summit and then a climb up the 7780 foot Mt. Williamson. This was followed by another steep descent and then a road walk and of a few miles to detour around an area where endangered toads live.

As I was doing the road walk some trail angels and their two sons pulled over in their car. They offered me some food and drink so I took a soda, crisps and a banana. Their trail names were Law(dad) and Order(mom). The sons were called Skate and Sketch. Very nice people. Law said my trail name should be Shade as I was walking along the road with my umbrella up.

The detour also included a section of the Buckhart trail down to Cooper Canyon which is a very nice trail.

Camping at Glenwood with a few other hikers. I'm very tired after two tough days for me. Ankle is still the same but not feeling worse which is good.

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Day 28 (May 19): Miles 360 - 381

Well I didn't sleep great last night so I only got on the trail around 7am. Passed a lot of ski sites today.

In the afternoon there was a steep decent to the road and then I started climbing the 9400 foot Mt. Baden Powell. It was a tough one but the views were amazing along the way.

There were a few runners going up the mountain. I'd like to try running up a mountain like that, maybe one day!

The panoramic views from the summit were amazing. Had a chat with a Japanese guy there and he was blown away when he heard I hiked from Mexico. After 30 mins I descended and made dinner a few miles later. I decided to hike on another mile to get in the habit of not cooking where I camp.

Tried the Merrels again this morning but the rocky terrain made me realise I'm better off with the Brookes for now. Ankle is slightly better but still hurting a bit.

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Day 27 (May 18): Miles 342 - 360

I left the Best Western and hit the trail at about 10am this morning. I had about 6 litres with me because this was a dry stretch. Over the next 20 miles I would ascend about 5000 feet.

Leaving Cajon Pass I was in awe at the hundreds of vehicles and many freight trains going through this area. While climbing I had great views over the pass below with it's constant wave of cars and trucks going by.

It wasn't too hot but the climb was pretty tough. I didn't notice untill late afternoon that my arms had sun burn so I ripped out the trusty umbrella. There was a section where I had to walk a dirt road to avoid the Poodle Dog bush on the trail.

I was wearing a pair of Rian's Brookes Cascadia shoes. He had a new pair shipped to him too early and was going to leave this pair in a hiker box. They were still pretty new so I decided to try them to see if they help with the pains I have been having in the balls of my feet. The feet feel pretty good. Ankle is still the main concern though. It was not too bad today after 18 miles. I'll see how it goes tomorrow.

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Day 24 (May 15): Miles 314 - 334

Today was a mostly good but very hot walking. We had some good views along Silverwood dam and I got to soak my feet in it a couple of times.

We spent time chilling at a picnic area by the lake. Most of the conversation over the last two days has been about the Mcdonalds at Cajon Pass. We hit that tomorrow and in about 8 miles!

Ankle is hurting. Will have to take a rest day or two.

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Day 23 (May 14): Miles 297 - 314

We did a few miles this morning and spent a long time at the Deep Creek hot springs. The hot springs are pretty cool but there were a few naked people hanging around so we moved down the creek and found a nice shady spot away from the crowd. There was a pretty cool rope swing into the creek and we tried it a few times. Very nice.

Myself, Bryan, Ryan and Ngu (from Japan) headed out from the springs quite late in the day. But we were just in time to find trail magic at the around mile 314 at highway 173. Trail angels called Shepard and Cant Wait were there with hot dogs, powerade drinks and loads of other sweets. We spent about 45 mins chatting and eating, then headed out another mile to camp for the night.

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Day 22 (May 13): Miles 280 - 297

Firstly, it was Mothers day today. Happy mothers day mom! Sorry I couldn't phone you!

We were up and away by 6am this morning and even though the trail was pretty easy we made slow progress. We talked about Cajon Pass and the Mcdonalds regularly.

Much of the terrain around Gold Mountain and beyond was burnt but later in the day the scenes along Holcomb Creek improved and the desert landscape was again present.

A few miles in along Holcomb Creek I walk right over a King snake. It had just slithered onto the path as I was taking a step and I almost stepped on it. It quickly moved off the path as I equally quickly dodged over it. At first I thought it was some other snake. It stopped right next to the path under the shade of a bush. I was able to take a picture. Little guy made my day! It's not poisonous but looks a lot like a Coral snake which is highly poisonous.

We took an excellent lunch and siesta break at one of the camp sites along the creek and had a quick dip in the creek.

Rest of the day was uneventful except for my painful left ankle bothering me. We are camping next to Deep Creek tonight. We also saw Ryan whom I met in Idyllwild. He catched up with us after staying another day in Idyllwild.

I'm contemplating taking a zero at Cajon Pass to see if my ankle improves.

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Day 21 (May 12): Miles 265 - 280

This morning one of the guys from the hostel dropped a group of us off at highway 18 where the trail crosses. It was comical to see 9 guys in a station wagon with a huge load of packs strapped to the roof.

We started walking at about 9am and had a slow day. We did about 14 or 15 miles. The ankle still hurts slightly but overall I feel pretty rested. There were some nice views over the lake and Big Bear. We set up camp at about 17:30 and took it easy.

From tomorrow onwards the plan is to get going by 6am to get our big miles done in the morning.

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Day 20 (May 11): Zero Day

So we had a lazy night last night at motel 6 with pizza, beer and HBO on TV.

This morning we organised our bounce supplies and sent it off to Agua Dulce, our next big stop. We shopped for food supplies, had starbucks coffee and subway for lunch and then took a long walk to the hostel where we planned to stay the night. The hostel cost the same as motel 6 per person but it's a cool place and we also had a lift organised with them back to the trail on Saturday morning.

We walked around the village a bit, ate snow cones and then headed back to the hostel where we chilled for the rest of the afternoon. We drank a few beers and ate chocolate chip cookies while watching the sun set over the lake below.

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Days 17 - 19 (May 8 - 10): Miles 219 - 265

On Tuesday morning Andrew left early. Brian and I only headed out from Whitewater preserve at about 9am looking to have an easy 14 mile day. We took a nice long break where the trail meets Mission Creek. After about another 7 miles we made camp further up the creek.

The Wednesday morning we got up at 5am with the plan to do 20 or more miles so we could get into Big Bear early on Thursday. We ended up doing 14 miles before lunch and about another 9 or 10 miles after. It was a long day but worth the effort.

Thursday we got up at 5am again and hit mile 265 and the highway by 11. It took us about 20 mins to get s ride. Two guys going to get scrap metal in town took us in with their pick-up but we got off at the Big Bear Lake post office instead of the one in Big Bear City (Big Bear is supposed to be one town but is split in two sections like that). A friendly local, called Sergio, gave us a lift to the other PO where we got our supplies. He gave us a tip that Thelma's was the place to have lunch and so we did. I'm amazed at how friendly and helpful some people have been. We had a great lunch with lots of coffee and some desert. Sergio came by again to give me a small magazine about Yosemite because we were talking about it in his car. He is going there with his family in July. Really friendly guy. We are at Motel 6 tonight and will maybe camp at the lake tomorrow. Taking a zero day tomorrow as my left ankle has been bothering me a bit and the body just needs to rest a bit.

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Day 16 (May 7): Miles 199 - 219

Woke up this morning and my feet and ankles felt ok. We did the last 7 miles down to the valley quite quickly and from there it was a hot but pretty level 4 miles,first on tarmac and then soft sand.

Under the bridge at interstate 10 we found some trail magic including soda and beer. Had a cherry soda. A guy in some extended and offroad VW Beetle came driving under the bridge with what looked like a bunch of tourists or something. He knew we were thru hikers and explained to the others in the beetle what we were doing. Looked like something out of a safari scene. Only we were the local "wild life" this time round ! ;-)

The trail angels that supply the goods there also showed up. It was Lake To Lake and Warner Springs Monty. They gave us some twinkies and ice lollies. It turned out that they would be serving food another 9 miles up the trail at Whitewater Reserve and tonight would be the last time. So after a rest under the bridge we moved on in the scorching sun.

We made quick stop at La Mesa wind farm where they give hikers ice cool water from the freezer and you can even get a microwave lunch for a few bucks. Sat here for a while under a shaded area they made for hikers.

At about 6 myself and Bryan got to Whitewater. Andrew was already there. The food was still there and we were some of the last hikers coming in so we had pretty much all that was left. We sat with our feet in the ice cold creek and chilled out for a while. Camping out here tonight. Great place for a zero day so still considering that. Left ankle was quite sore the last two days so I might need the rest.

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Days 13 - 15 (May 4 - 6): Miles 173 - 199

On Friday I had about 7 miles to Saddle Junction and then 2.5 down to the trailhead near Idyllwild. I walked about a mile down the road and then I got a ride into town from the friendly lady running the Idyllwild Inn. They were full so she dropped me off at the campsite where I paid 3 dollars for the night. Had a nice hot shower and tended to the sore feet. Then I was off to the laundromat to get my clothes washed. Met Legion, another PCT hiker, there. After that I had a great salad, pizza and a few beers at the Idyllwild Pizza company. They had a 10 % discounts for PCT hikers. Saw Bryan (met him briefly earlier on trail) there and he ended up camping in the same spot as me that night. Also saw Sheldon and Christian in town a few times.

That night I met Andrew and Ryan who had been hiking with Bryan. There was also a guy from Liverpool but can't recall the name. We all had a few beers together that night.

Saturday I mostly ate all day. I had a breakfast burrito with some of the guys. Then a pastry and cookies from the bakery. At lunch I had this massive mexican meal I couldnt even finish. Guess it's because I had a huge tub of frozen yoghurt a few minutes before lunch!

I decided to head late on Saturday with Bryan and Andrew. We all made trips the library and outdoor outfitters and at about 5 we started out of town. A very generous lady called Mo gave us a ride to the trailhead. She had already taken 16 hikers up that day! We did the 2.5 mile ascent to Saddle Junction fairly quickly and hike on another mile or so untill we found a great camp with views of Palm Springs. We packed out a few beers to drink there. It was the coldest night on trail yet but we were almost at 9000 odd feet.

Sunday was tough. We did about 18 miles and the 6000 foot descent down to the I-10 highway is a killer. We aren't even there yet, we probably need to desend another 2000. So we are camped out on a ridge above the valley. Much warmer tonight. My feet are really sore but confident they will recover enough by tomorrow.

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Day 12 (3 May): Miles 157 - 173

So today involved a lot of climbing as I entered the San Jacinto mountains. It's been the toughest day of climbing yet.

I'm camping at about 7000 feet and overlooking what I believe is Palm Springs. The scenery has been great today. There are a few tough sections I would not have tried if there was still snow up here.

Had a tough time getting water from a spring today as my water bladders kept falling in ( air got pushed out to quick for gravity to let the water flow in). Eventually I just put the spouts against a small outflow but it took forever to fill up. Got there in the end though!

I'm amazed at the humming birds. They seem very interested in me and fly close enough for me to be able to reach out and touch them. But of course they quickly wizz away if I try.

I saw Heather and Sierra(Monkey) again today and have seen them quite frequently from Paradise Cafe onwards. Also hiked with Simpson and Big Wuss during the day. Was surprised how much Simpson knew about SA history and the boer war. Turns out he reads a lot of military history and is or was part of the US military.

While I'm writing this I am watching the mountain shadows engulf Palm Springs and the valley below. Amazing.

Off to Idylwild tomorrow and hoping to get there before lunch.

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Day 11 (2 May): Miles 138 - 157

Today I set out at about 7 to get to Paradise Corner Cafe. The cafe is a favourite with hikers and I was looking forward to a nice burger.

Another hiker informed me that the cafe closes at 3pm so I motored for about 12 miles and was exhausted as I did the last mile from the trail to the cafe at about 12 pm But it was worth it. I had the Jose burger and two beers. Great lunch.

So I got a few litres of water and started heading out again. I was surprised at how many miles I ended up doing but really tired now.

I found a great little camp site in the mountains at about mile 157!

Aiming to maybe hit Idylwild by Friday afternoon.

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Day 10 (1 May): Miles 124 - 138

We woke this morning surrounded by an amazing world of huge boulders and remnants of what I imagine used to be a very old forest. Some trees were still standing but the majority were destroyed by fire. It was like a scene from Lord Of The Rings.

We hiked on to a Chihauhau road and from there we walk a short stretch to the house of trail angel Mike. He wasn't there but we relaxed there for a while and slowly some other hikers came in.

I had a quick meal and said goodbye to Matt for the moment. He wanted to stay longer and nurse some injuries. I really enjoyed his company over the last week or so and he is great hiking partner. Hopefully I will see him up the trail.

Some of the hikers I've met over the last couple of days and have seen frequently are Weebee, Mr. Wizard, Worry Wart, Big Wuss, Christo and Sheldon. Those are only the ones I can remember the names of. Also briefly met an english guy from Leytonstone who flew by us.

Ankles and feet were very tired by the end of today. Hopefully an early night and some good sleep will sort me out sinceI slept quite rough the last few nights. Tonight Im using my blow up matras. Luxury!

Had a beatiful sunset and interesting cloud formations.

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Day 9 (Apr 30): Miles 106 - 123

So we never ended up camping at Eagle Rock. We walked on into a beatiful sunset and eventually found a nice place next to the creek and just before Warner Springs. It was already dark so the tent spot I chose was very uneven and made for a rough night.

This morning we quickly walked to the Post Office where I got my resupplies and forwarded on my drift box to Big Bear City. There was trail angel called Marmot taking people from the PO to the community centre so we hopped into her old VW minibus and got to have a great breakfast and ice cream at the centre.

We set out from there at about 10:30 with the intent to reach Chihauhau Road. It was mostly uphill today but there was also some great scenery along the way.

We ended up camping in an amazing boulder field in the mountains, about 3 miles out from Chihauhau road. Beautiful place!

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