PCT SOBO DAY 118 – HUGE Pineapples

Day 118

Start: Tentsite, mile 2225.2

End: Campground, mile 2255.1

Miles driven: 29.9 miles

I thought the desert was flat. Unfortunately I was wrong, but at least I was expecting a long descent after all the hard work yesterday. I woke up at my usual time and hit the road and hit the road.

I decided to walk the path a bit since it basically paralleled the trail. The good thing about the road is that it is usually smooth, meaning it is easy to walk, and wide, meaning there are no plants rubbing against me. The plants were quite sharp in this section, so I was grateful for the break from their spiny bodies.

Not too late in my day, a hunter drove by in a white truck. Like many people, he was surprised to hear what he was doing. He offered me 3 bottles of water, which I graciously accepted since it was a dry section and I hadn’t brought more than I needed last night. I immediately drank one and saved the rest for the next few miles to the next water source.

High above, I could barely make out the coastal towns below. Some tall buildings shone in the sun while a mist covered the rest. I continued until I reached a fire station, my main source of water for the day. There was a day use area with a tap, but the fire department did not allow hikers near the station due to bad hikers in the past. If you hike the trail, don’t do things that will cause people to punish future hikers.

After rehydrating and having lunch in the shade, I faced another climb. Despite being intimidating, the climb was smooth and steady. At the top I found bear tracks and the biggest pine cones I had ever seen!

That was pretty much the highlight of my day. I drove through the Angeles National Forest into the evening, stopping a little earlier than usual. I was on track to arrive in Wrightwood tomorrow or early the next day, so I thought it might get dark early.

And that’s a day in the life of a PCT SOBO hiker!

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