Part 11: Fighting the wind, magical path, a room with a view and a series of bad decisions.

That morning the camp was silent. All of the weekend campers were still sleeping, and most of the hikers had already left when we got up at 5:45 am. We took advantage of that quiet moment, to enjoy our coffee in the hot spring, and moved in shortly after.

Not much to report on the day other than the relentless wind that started early and never stopped. It was so strong that even my heavy backpack was swinging from side to side. We found water in a lovely little stream, passed near the Joshua Inn, but decided to keep moving.

The highlight of the afternoon was walking around Silverwood Lake, a large reservoir surrounded by beautiful scenery.

But the real story came later.

We decided to spend the night at a campsite, still fighting the wind and hearing reports of increased bear activity in the area. Those seemed like perfectly good reasons not to camp like cowboys. While exploring the bathroom facilities, we noticed a sign warning hikers about recent bear activity. Between that and being completely exhausted from fighting the wind all day, we came up with an idea.

All the bathrooms were locked, but the accessible shower was open…and big enough for two mats.

Tadaa! We had a hotel room.

After a light dinner, we settled into our luxurious accommodation. Aside from a surprise spider attack on my arm, the night was uneventful and pleasantly warm. Best of all, we could barely hear the wind outside…or the bears.

The next day was exciting. We would reach Cajon Pass (mile 342), a major transportation junction where Interstate 15, historic Route 66, freight rail lines, and the Pacific Crest Trail pass through the same narrow corridor.

But that’s not what we were excited about.

The real deal is that the PCT crosses one of its most famous dining landmarks: a McDonald’s right along the way.

Of course, even if you’re not a big fan of fast food, I can guarantee that the prospect of a relatively cheap, calorie-packed meal that isn’t made of tortillas and fried food will have you dreaming for days. So much so that it has become one of the legendary stops on the PCT.

And we were not at all an exception.

The second highlight, of course, was the iconic Route 66 sign located a few hundred yards away, which was obviously worth a photo stop.

But as soon as we arrived and started ordering burgers, nuggets and fries at the kiosk, something unexpected happened.

A guy named Steven came in and asked if we were PCT hikers. Some other hikers were also inside and we all confirmed it. He smiled and told us to follow him because he was offering trail magic in the parking lot.

It was all as strange as it was fun.

One moment we were standing in front of the McDonald’s ordering machine, carefully selecting lunch, and the next a complete stranger was calling out to all the “PCT hikers” outside for free food from the back of his car.

Steven had driven a long way specifically to do trail magic. It had fruit, pastries, electrolytes, and even shoes and clothing for hikers who might need them.

After chatting for a while, we somehow ended up back inside McDonald’s with not only our original meals, but also a couple slices of pizza, some cookies, an almond danish, parmesan cheese, and a banana.

It became a true gastronomic festival.

I ordered a cheeseburger, nuggets and fries combo, added the pizza, followed it with a strawberry and cream pie and then had a coffee in a desperate attempt to generate enough energy for the afternoon climb.

We finally left around 2pm, went under Interstate 15 and the train tracks, and started up the hill.

As we slowly climbed through huge rocks and brush, we saw, or at least heard, half a dozen freight trains rumbling through the valley. Before long, we were walking along ridges with stunning views back to the road. We could still see McDonald’s and the gas station in the distance.

We met up with Rance from Oklahoma City and walked together to the water reservoir 8 miles away, before deciding to continue climbing.

We knew campsites would be limited, but we were still surprised by how scarce they were. We continue to gain altitude while fighting a cold wind. FarOut suggested there might be a location around Mile 350, but we didn’t find anything.

Finally, around mile 353, we found a decent place to stop after a long day of nearly 25 miles and about 5,000 feet of elevation gain.

A few ominous clouds hovered in the sky, but we decided to camp like cowboys anyway.

We ate our takeout cheeseburgers straight from our sleeping bags while looking out over the valley. It felt like a luxury.

About fifteen minutes later, we felt the first drops of rain.

Claire immediately began setting up her tent.

I, on the other hand, was cold, tired, and too lazy to make sensible decisions. I made a messy arrangement with a tarp over my sleeping bag and convinced myself I would be fine.

Then the wind appeared.

Suddenly my plan seemed a lot less brilliant.

Grunting the entire time, I finally got up and set up my shelter properly as well.

Excellent decision.

Around 11pm strong gusts hit the ridge and the tent provided welcome protection as well as a few extra degrees of warmth. For once, common sense had won.

I slept like a stone.

Claire and I had decided to continue past the trail junction toward Wrightwood and hitchhike from Inspiration Point.

The morning was cold at 2,200 meters. We quickly packed up, had a light breakfast and hit the road. The trail continued with a frustrating mix of ups and downs along the ridge. The endless backtracking seemed to last an eternity.

At the junction with the Acorn Trail, we came across a sign commemorating Jodi and Jerry, who had attempted a winter PCT hike in 1983 and lost their lives near that same spot. I only briefly read the sign at the time and then learned the full story at Wrightwood.

It stayed with me.

Part of me admired the dream of attempting something so ambitious. Another part felt sadness at an outcome that, in retrospect, seemed almost inevitable. Human determination versus mountainous reality.

Later, we came across a crew clearing a dirt road next to the trail. They were removing huge burned logs left in a forest fire two years earlier. One of the workers was convinced that I was Mexican, or at least that I spoke Spanish. Unfortunately for both of us, I don’t.

We continued walking through forests and around reservoirs. Some of the trees had frozen overnight, and as the sun warmed them, chunks of ice began to fall from the branches. From time to time, we were unexpectedly bombarded by flying ice.

It was strangely beautiful.

As we approached the Inspiration Point, I suddenly saw Claire start running.

Without asking questions, I ran too.

Years of hiking have taught me that when your hiking partner unexpectedly runs into a parking lot, there’s usually a very good reason.

Sure enough, there was a car. And possibly a walk.

We pulled into the parking lot and met up with Kevin who immediately offered us a ride to Wrightwood. Thus, our hitchhiking statistics improved once again.

But Kevin turned out to be much more than a ride.

He gave us advice on everything: where to eat, where to shop, what to see, and how to navigate the small mountain town. He lives down the mountain in Phelan and suggested taking us there first since the grocery stores and restaurants would be cheaper and offer more options than Wrightwood.

Sometimes the best stories start by simply saying yes.

Another hiker named Penny was with us. Apparently he got his trail name because he always finds coins. Kevin had already offered to host her for free.

Since Claire and I had booked an Airbnb in Wrightwood, Kevin offered to drive us back there after shopping.

So we took a completely unexpected detour.

Phelan is about twenty minutes from Wrightwood. After stopping by his house, Kevin took the three of us to lunch at a deli. I ordered the biggest Philadelphia cheesesteak I had ever seen.

It was glorious.

Then we headed to the mall. Kevin put our backpacks in his car and simply told us to call when we were done.

A few hours later, he drove us back to Wrightwood and around 4:30 pm we arrived at our cozy Airbnb.

Before leaving, Kevin mentioned that he planned to return to Inspiration Point to see if any other hikers needed help.

What a genuinely kind human being.

Claire and I followed our usual routine in the city: showering, doing laundry, repairing equipment, and organizing food. In the evening we went out to dinner at The Yodeler and enjoyed our first real rest in days.