As The Crow Flies

• Guess who was given a pair of reading glasses from a nice couple at the Paradise cafe. They also gave me a ride back to the trail. #
• So, I’m in the mountains on the section of trail that was closed because of a fire but now I think it’s open. #
• The weather is still cold to pleasant. There are some big scary clouds though. Should be in Idyllwild tomorrow. . #
• This trail is a completely different experience when it’s cold, windy, and wet. #
• I stopped early tonight because of the big low dark cloud over me. Plus my feet needed rubbing. #
• I’m sitting on a mountain top and finally it’s warm. it’s going to be hard to move. #

I’m still in town because if there is one thing I learned from hiking with Thirsty Boots is: don’t leave town without eating breakfast.  Breakfast doesn’t happen here till 7:30.    All my stuff is dry and I’m ready to hit the trail.

I checked the forecast over at postholer’s site and it calls for snow!  Those mountains above Idylwild are sometimes a little hard to navigate even without snow and even if you did have a pair of reading glasses so you could read the map.  Might be that area is still closed because of fire.   That’s hard to believe, but over at Postholer’s site it says it’s still closed.

Hey, I’m writing this from Warners Springs.  I hadn’t planned to stop here but I’m cold and wet.  That’s right the broiling Southern California desert is cold, windy, and wet.   I just crossed the San Felipie Hills wearing a down vest, a fleece balaclva, and a rain coat.

I can’t Twitter because I have lost my reading glasses, again.   They don’t sell them in this town but I’m sure Idywild will have some.  I should be there in three days or so.

I have only met one thru- hiker and that was in Lake Morena.  I haven’t seen him since.   Pretty much the whole trail is mine.

It’s cool and the desert is in bloom.  So, the only draw back to starting late has been that I have to kick out the miles.   I have committed to 25 miles a day with no days off which has been a little hard to start out with, but I think I’m adjusting.

• I’m a few miles short of my goal but I’m tired and my feet hurt so I’m going to sleep now. #
• Hey from the Mt Laguna store. I wasn’t going to stop but I lost my reading glasses. #
• I’m at mile 43. My feet hurt and I’m a little sleepy. The weather has cooled off. So hopefully I can sleep at night instead of hike. #
• When I think of being on the trail, I think about how beautiful and grand life is. I forget that it hurts and is a lot of work. Now, I r … #

• Whoo hooo! Back on the trail again. Right where I belong. #
• On the bus I met another hiker. His only gear was a windbreaker and a pint of gin. This winter he may ski the iditarod. #
• The moon is bright and the desert is warm. Time to rise and hike. #
• Hey from the Lake Morena store–which is not open 🙁 mile 20.6 #
• Last night, I saw two men standing in the dark on the trail. They were border patrol chasing illegals. #
• The store opened. I bought enough stuff that I can skip Mt. Laguna. I’m kicking back under a oak tree until things cool off. #

• Today is my day. It’s been a ridiculously #
• In two hours the airport shuttle comes. My sister’s neighbor is also going to the airport, so we can share a shuttle. How lucky is that? #
• So happy…. #
• Made it to the airport and through check-in. No fuel surcharge. Yea. . #
• I am so scattered. It takes. a while to get everything assigned to the right pocket. #
• San Diego I am. It’s really nice here. Very city on the bayish. #
• . My pack is bulky and awkward. It’s always like that when I start. I don’t know why. #
• It’s my nap time, but I’m in the city and the city is a no sleeping zone. #
• Tip: When you are going to be away put your vehicle on storage rate; I just saved 100 dollars. #
• As they say in Indonesia, “Waiting is a bad job.” #

• I’m sporting a Walmart haircut. Which is fine because I wear a hat and I don’t own a mirror. #
• Time to sit on my sister’s patio and drink coffee. I had stopped drinking coffee. But I’m here and it’s here and what are you going do? #
• Taking a stroll around the outside of my sisters house. Between 2 decks and 4 patios, she has outdoor seating for 27 people. Ha! #
• I fed my sister’s llamas. I have to stand between them or the bully one will try to eat the other one’s food. I am the new alpha llama. #
• I’m worried the airline will lose or damage my gear. So, I bought a cheap duffle bag to throw all the stuff I can’t carry on into; the … #

• I soaked my clothes in some premethin that I got from the feed store. Now my clothes stink. I’m washing them. Premethin is bug off stuff. #
• My clothes still stink. I’m washing them again. Do not get your bug off stuff at the feed store. #
• oh no. I have so much to do today, but I feel so tired. It’s like a bad dream, where no matter how hard you run, you can’t get away. #
• Wow, there is a post office open till 8pm on Saturday! Looks like it is in a store; that’s convenient. I should be able to make that. #
• Still to do: get a hair cut, go to the dump, mail boxes. Ha! Same list as yesterday. Ready or not I’m going to mail those boxes. #

• All my stuff for my hike is here. Now, I have to clean my cabin. Then I’m out of here. #
• Entering numbers that I may need into my new phone–gear sellers, trail conditions, people, etc. #
• Eating miso soup with Brags liquid amino, seasoned gourmet rice vinegar, and a whole head of garlic in it. #
• My windows are washed. My floor is vacuumed. Still to do: go to dump, get a haircut, mail boxes. #
• If you put Brag’s liquid aminos and seasoned rice vinegar in your miso soup, you may get really thirsty. #
• Yesterday was the first warm day. I slept with all the windows open. The ponderosa pine forest smells so nice this morning. #
• It’s early, I’m online but I should get busy finishing my chores. If I keep moving, all my prep chores will be done today. #
• My cabin is cold with all the windows open. Too cold to want to stay out of my bag for long. Time to build one last fire. #
• Okay, the fire is built, the oatmeal is eaten yet here I am still not doing my chores. #
• I’m sleepy. Time for a nap before chores. #
• I didn’t want to leave gas in the chainsaw so I went out, in my robe, and cut wood till it ran out of gas. Luckily it didn’t take long. #
• I cut some kindling so that when I come home, in the fall, it will be there for me to build a fire. Okay… back to my chores. #
• At my sister’s. She is not here. I am using her bathtub, watching her tv, and eating the shaved ice her refrigerator makes. #
• Now that I have cell reception, let me see if I can send a message. #

• I am figuring out how to twitter. #
• Waiting for the UPS guy to bring my new phone to the little store. He will also bring new insoles; hope they help. #