General Trail Thoughts:
Our National Forests are incredible and very neglected. I saw so many beautiful places that were essentially out of reach for most people. If people don’t know the serenity of places like Buckhorn Campground in Angeles Forest, they will never raise the alarm when access is lost. And that’s exactly what happens when a road is closed due to lack of funding. I consider myself lucky to have seen it on this trip and I hope that all of you have the opportunity to see it too. Buckhorn is a campground that would fit perfectly in the Sierras and is right in Los Angeles’ backyard.
Day 22
23 miles
From mile marker 379.5 elev 8687
Two Mile Markers 402.1 Student 6099
Approximate rise 2451 Fall 5115
Camping: Solo
People I walked with: Craig and Amanda
This stretch started with a beautiful Mother’s Day morning and my 57th birthday! I descended altitude and found myself at Little Jimmy spring. Cold, clear water that tasted good. After a while I passed Craig and Amanda. They hit me when I was eating in the Islip Pass parking lot on the closed Angeles Crest Highway/S2. When I saw Craig in a neck brace, I realized I had last seen him before Mission Creek with a trekking pole sideways through the chest straps. He fell and hurt his neck, but here he was still walking. Amanda had taken a week off with bad blisters on her feet and here she was too. Both persevering through the pain. Those two are pretty awesome, as it’s pretty hard to do this tour when a person doesn’t have blisters or need a neck brace. The S2 highway was closed and we decided to walk through the tunnels and pass a closed ski area called Snow Crest. Walking down a closed street seems like something out of a post-apoplectic movie. Just waiting for the zombies. This section passed through the beautiful Buckhorn Campground, open only to those hiking a long way. I followed a stream and at a crossing with another stream I saw a very fishable pool. I quickly broke off an inch-long piece of a thin branch and threw it at the head of the pool. Sure, a curious native trout stood up to see if a grasshopper was lunch. Disappointed, the trout returned to the depths, but I remembered this place for a return trip.
Day 23
24.8 miles
From mile marker 402.1 elev 6099
Two mile markers 427 student 5427
Approximate rise 3491 Fall 4163
Camping: The Tramily: Daniel, Emily, Kevin, Kyle, Janis, Julian, Sarah and Teresa
People I walked with: none
This day started out normal, but I had my first slip and fall. Fortunately, there is no harm or foul. The terrain was interesting, So Cal scrub with amazing springs to fill with water, chapparal scrub and random pines. Later that day I came to a stream and encountered a Tramily. A Tramily is a group of hikers that merge into a group or perhaps started as a group. We all ended up camping in the same place. In short, apart from a beautiful sunrise, a fairly calm day.
Day 24
28 miles
From mile 427 elev 5427
Two mile markers 454.7 student 2566
Ascent 4203 Relegation 7054
Camping: Hotel
People I walked with: I played jump with Tramily and today it was a mental mistake. I had the goal, and it was a very self-confident goal, to make a 45-kilometer day to reach the María Bonita Mexican restaurant in Agua Dulce. I made a quick stop at the Acton RV resort for an ice cream sandwich, Twix Bar, and water. The trail climbed quickly through grassy hills before descending to cross under Highway 14. I soon came across the famous Vasquez Rocks. This area was where Captain Kirk fought the aliens and where Bill and Ted visited. Shortly before this point I started to feel pain in my lower right leg. It was the dreaded leg cramps! I arrived at the restaurant and self-medicated with chips, salsa, tacos, beers, margarita, and a free shot of tequila. I then Ubered to a hotel because the campground was reported to be too crowded and I knew I needed to rest my leg. The plan was to sleep in, take ibuprofen, and see if my leg could handle a 10-mile day. I know several people who quit the trail due to leg cramps.
Vasquez Rocks, where according to my grandfather Jim, the outlaw Shark Vasquez hid from the Sheriff. It turns out that an interpretive sign more or less confirmed what I was told.
Next up, my shortest day: 10 miles.
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