Oh shit, the real world!

Idyllwild to Mt. Laguna (miles 179.4-42.5)

November 7-13, 2025

An extra zero

A major challenge when you choose to ship a refill to yourself is that it is subject to the Postal Service and its schedule. This means you send it to a post office for pickup instead of sending it to a company or Trail Angel. My package from Warner Springs was sent to the post office and when I calculated my schedule, I realized that it would arrive in Warner Springs on Saturday night. So instead of camping in Warner Springs for a whole day waiting for the post office to open on Monday, I decided to spend that extra day in Idyllwild at a comfortable hotel. After all, it’s a nice town with lots of fun restaurants and plenty of gluten-free options. I was there mid-week, which meant the hotel was cheaper, but many businesses were closed. Still, there was enough to keep me fed and I was extremely lazy, reading a book most of the day.

I was still a little stressed upon arriving in Warner Springs on Monday morning. It was Veterans Day weekend and I was worried that a small post office would take me that extra day off. However, I got lucky and picked up my resupply. All other businesses were closed, so there was no point in delaying.

Preparing for reintegration

I’m definitely ready to be done. Recently, I caught myself standing in the middle of the trail. Like my body just stopped walking while my mind was somewhere else. It was usually a shady place. Then I shake my head as if waking up and start walking again. On the other hand, it makes me nervous to have to deal with all the details of everyday life.

I’ve heard of the concept of post-trail depression. The loss of endorphins and the reality of the “real world” can be a big challenge to deal with. Do I go back to work as soon as possible so I have something to do? Or do I take more time to recover and have a quiet moment? Do I let my body rest from all the exercise or take advantage of the fitness I’ve gained and set a future athletic goal like a marathon? Has the PCT really taught me anything? Or was it just a long slog? After all is said and done, what is our financial situation?

I don’t have all the answers. At this point, I’m just looking forward to having my own bed, snuggling with my husband and cats, and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies from Trader Joe’s. Unlimited hugs but not too many cookies.

As silly as it may sound, I’ve only been doing two things to prepare. The first is that I started meditating at night. The days have become so short that I have extra time after camping and before going to bed at night. So there is a little time left for meditation.

The second thing I’ve been doing is push-ups. Just to help a little bit with core and upper body strength. Push-ups don’t help at all but they make me feel like I’m doing something.

I guess the rest will take care of itself! I have a husband who loves and supports me, so I hope he allows me to set my own pace.

rough bushes

Absolutely my least favorite part of the desert. It has been very hot, so it is preferable to wear shorts. But the thorny chaparral and tanoak are so overgrown in some sections that it’s a painful decision to wear shorts. Branches catch on my backpack or whip my legs, causing me to grit my teeth and slow down to a crawl. I’m not a fan.

Visiting Café Paraíso

For NOBOs, there are some important landmarks in the first few hundred miles of the trail. In fact, the beginning sounds a bit like a party. Free cake in Julian, for example. Paradise Café is one of those places you simply have to go to. For me, these stops just aren’t that exciting. Maybe it’s the fact that they are just diners and the food really isn’t that great. It’s just that newer hikers haven’t figured out how many calories they need and are probably very hungry. Or all they eat is ramen and restaurant food is a step up. Still, I managed to meet up with several fellow hikers at the Paradise Café, so I guess we all felt obligated to stop. Unfortunately, they don’t have gluten free toast and I’m not sure if they have gluten free buns for their burgers as I was there for breakfast. The coffee shake was great, but it had no mint flavor, which was disappointing. With an omelet, chips and a shake, I was satisfied for the rest of the day.

Anticlimax

Yesterday I ran into a hiker who asked me how I felt when I finished. 400 miles ago, when I imagined reaching the monument on the southern border, I began to cry. He had really managed to do it! Now that I’m getting even closer, I don’t feel it as strongly. I think it’s because Mount Hyacinth seemed like the end to me, and now I’m just walking through a boring desert under the scorching sun. When you climb a hill and see the trail stretching for miles in front of you, it’s hard to get excited.

The trail runs through a cow pasture that seems to go on forever.

mount lagoon

I arrived in the town of Mount Laguna last night after dark. There is a hostel here in a place called Tiny House block that is (miraculously) still open for the southern limits and is very reasonable in terms of price. Although there are many people in high season, I am the only occupant. Once again, I’m stuck waiting for the post office to open at noon.
The Tiny House Block is a community of people who live year-round in these tiny houses of approximately 100 square feet. What an interesting and simple life. It’s like taking the essence of the PCT and making it permanent. http://www.tinyhouseblock.com

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