PCT SOBO DAY 126 – City Glow

Day 126

Start: Doble Trail Camp, mile 2387.2

End: Dirt road, mile 2411.1

Miles driven: 23.9 miles

I started a little later than usual today because it was so cold when I woke up! My fingers were cold as I folded my tent and packed my bag. However, it wasn’t long before the sun hit me and things heated up.

I was still very close to civilization as I walked this morning. I ran into a few people walking their dogs, and even saw a guy riding a horse! Eventually, things calmed down and I had the trail to myself.

Today was truly a day for the shade. I took my lunch break in a shady canyon where it was still cool. This was one of the few places today where I could get water, so I made the most of it. A couple of hunters drove by in their truck and asked me if I had seen any deer. They tried to give me food, but since I had just resupplied I didn’t feel like bringing anything extra. I didn’t want to reject the generosity, but weight matters!

Today I only had to climb a little and it was over pretty quickly. I found myself among some cool rock formations overlooking the Yucca and Morongo valleys, and spent some time just sitting. I wasn’t making the most of my time today, but it felt good to move a little slower.

I did a little hiking after dark before finding a nice flat spot to set up my tent. Tomorrow I had a challenging section ahead of me. The comments on FarOut made it sound like the worst, but I took them with a grain of salt. The trail across Mission Creek had been damaged by flooding, so a good portion of the trail was washed away. You would have to navigate a stream bed and hope not to get obstructed by steep, dry waterfalls. I would worry about the details when I got there.

As I lay in my tent, I watched the distant lights of the city flicker, casting a glow over the valley. It was much warmer here, so I fell asleep in no time.

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

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