Start point

Mile 532.1

End point

Mile 553.3

Miles hiked

21.2

Wilderness area

Angeles National Forest

The day on trail

This morning was great. There was a tiny bit of condensation on our bags, but no frost. The sun came out and dried everything up before we took off. Doctor/DR/Dirty Rafa was feeling better, Sunrise even took her time getting out of camp.

I needed to spend some time repairing my shoes before I left. They’re turning into sandals at this point.

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I stitched it up with thread and made a criss-cross pattern with duct tape, then put a final patch of tape on top.

We heard rumors of trail magic at Cottonwood Creek, a few miles ahead, so we made our way there. Doctor and Sunrise were off well before me; Piñacolada hung back until my shoes were done and I was packed. It was great to hike with him. We looked at a lot of the features of the aqueduct and some of the runoff areas.

The duct tape on my shoes started falling off around one and a half miles in, but the stitching held well enough. I was walking oddly to compensate for the big holes, trying to baby my shoes for the mileage ahead.

When we got to Cottonwood I was delighted to see Shark and Half Pint doing trail magic! I couldn’t believe my eyes. They made me a huge pancake and I loaded it with peanut butter, chocolate chips, and syrup. They also introduced me to Manzanita Sol, a super delicious and refreshing apple soda found in this region of California.

Chopper, Gusher, Jingles, Lib, and Tom arrives soon after, and a couple other hikers, and we all chatted a bit.

Shark and Half Pint were super gracious and let me use their Leukotape on my shoes. I did the same cross-cross pattern and, instead of one strip across the outside, I did multiple strips going vertically, to match the directional strength of the tape.

Leaving Shark and Half Pint’s area was tough. I was enjoying the company and didn’t want to have my shoes fall apart, which they inevitably would. As soon as you see them losing integrity, you know its over.

Walking with my shoes falling apart also hurt my legs and hips. I was compensating in ways that weren’t good for me.

We were looking to do 23+ miles today. And I was, maybe, 4 into it and it was around 11am. That meant I had 19 to go on shoes that were falling apart and a body that was sluggish as heck.

After Cottonwood Creek and our goodbyes, it was a long climb up in a wind farm.

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There were fences all around. And I couldn’t call myself a photographer if I passed the opportunity to play with bokeh on one of them.

I found a beetle eating a caterpillar. We all get hungry.

There were flowers. And focusing on these kept me going.

There was a trail register. And I love what some people write in them.

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Continuing on I crossed a small river and saw a sign indicating we’re closer to our destination.

16 miles to Willow Springs Road means we’re about 24 from the highway we’re planning on hitching from! It also means we’re closer to Magic Mountain and a fun zero day in honor of Piñacolada’s birthday.

I just had to keep going.

I had a great view of some weather at a weird water cache installation thing.

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We all kind of went to different spots during the evening. Piñacolada and Doctor hunkered down a few miles after this cache. I got to them with the last vestiges of light. I wanted to continue on though. I had a rhythm and I knew my shoes wouldn’t do too well the next day, so getting everything I could do now would be best.

I chatted with Doctor and Piñacolada as I got my headlamp out for some night hiking. My plan was to go about four more miles to where Sunrise was.

This wasn’t a pleasant night hike. I lost the trail a couple times because it crossed and paralleled some dirt roads, but nothing too severe. I saw some glowing eyes at me, I think it was a bobcat (harmless) but any larger cat can be alarming. And I came across this spine.

Finally. Around 9:30 I got to the mile marker Sunrise gave me. I couldn’t find her and it wouldn’t make sense to call out, so I found a campsite and set up.

I’m really worn down today. I not only have my shoes falling apart, my dog sitter has been having problems with my dog and I think I’m going to have to find him a new place. I hope I don’t have to get off trail for it. In all honesty, this anxiety about my dog sitter has been going on since my second week on trail. It’s wearing on me and distracting me.

Between my body, my shoes, and what’s going on, I’m wrecked today.