The end of the desert (finally)

We left Tehachapi in the afternoon with the goal of covering a few miles before the sun sets. While we are now in the Sierra section of the FarOut map and have passed the main aqueduct landmark, we are definitely not out of the desert. The first 8 miles are through a very windy and dry wind farm. We can’t hear ourselves talk over the wind. For dinner we made a sandwich to split. After leaving the wind farm we stop by the train tracks to eat before crossing Highway 58.

Ready for silence

Most of the desert section is quite populated. We talk about how we’ve been between towns or highways every other day and look forward to the more remote section of the Sierra Nevada trail. This is especially true tonight when we fell asleep to the sound of the wind turbines and the road.

As if we needed another reminder that we’re not done with the desert yet, these miles are scarce in terms of water. We’ll be sailing through some big hauls over the next few days, and we’ll still be careful with caches due to the ever-present concerns about Norovirus.

Wind and foot pain

The morning we get up and away from Highway 58 is one of the windiest we’ve ever experienced. At one point we must hold on to each other to cross a short, exposed section of trail without being knocked over by the wind. My feet, which I thought had recovered from the aqueduct, are giving me problems. My right arch is cramping and my lower left calf is starting to hurt. The general rule of thumb is that if the pain moves or doesn’t last more than a couple of days, it’s not a cause for concern. I try to ignore the pain in my left calf but it doesn’t work. When we get to lunch, I try to massage and stretch it to no avail. We only have 19 miles on the agenda for the day and after lunch there are less than 5. I think the rest will help, but as we get out of lunch things progress and my muscles get tighter and tighter. I am frustrated, tired and sore, and the irritation with constant aches and pains gets to me. I sit half a mile from camp and have my first real breakdown on the trail. Sarah finds me, gives me a couple of Advil and we move on. After dinner I feel much better; food always helps.

Getting closer, getting colder

The next day I have a walk with almost perfect sensations. Both my calf and foot feel better. We travel 23 miles and get our first views of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The end of the desert is very close and we can feel the anticipation for the next section. We crossed briefly into the Sequoia National Forest and enjoyed several miles of cruising through the forest at the end of the day. We both listen to music/audiobooks and the miles fly by. My calf cramps in the last half mile, but it’s manageable and we arrive at camp with a loo – a real treat! That night it’s cold and we sleep in the rain for the first time in a long time. We even wasted our fuel supply to make hot chocolate.

The next morning is colder than expected and we start with the jackets. We have to filter the water before hitting the trail and I regret not having done it the night before. My hands are so cold squeezing the filter bag. Despite the cold morning, the day turns out to be another hot and exposed hike. Our only sources of water after the morning are two water tanks, one a few kilometers from the camp and the other where we intend to sleep. The hills are covered with Joshua trees and the mountains are visible now.

The last day in the desert

Today is our last full day in the desert. While we enjoy its beauty and the variety it provides, this is the longest stretch and feels endless. We have been hiking for almost 6 weeks and the heat, carrying water, worries about snakes and desert woes have worn us down. We are ready for the mountains.

After lunch we hit the trail and immediately my lower calf starts cramping. It’s another 6 miles to the campground. It feels good on the uphills, but the downhills are painful. I rest a lot and slowly head there. I have a suspicion that my shoes are on the last leg. I have a new pair waiting for me in Ridgecrest, so I know I have to put up with this. This pair only has ~350 miles on it, which isn’t much. Maybe I need to change my shoes again. We arrived at Bird Spring Pass to find a very full water reservoir and many other hikers. We set up camp and stretched our sore muscles while chatting with one of our friends. For our last night in the desert we have decided to do a cowboy camp. It’s a big decision; The sunset is another wonder of the desert and the stars are wonderful all night long.

walker pass

We wake up and set out on the road with a great objective: to finish the desert. Walker Pass is just 23 miles ahead of us. The day goes by easily: there’s not much pain in our feet or calves, and we’re excited to have new shoes, pants, and snacks tomorrow. We arrived at Walker Pass around 5 pm Although we had intended to stay at the campground that night and be driven into town in the morning, Sarah receives a message from one of our friends who said they had gotten an easy ride into town and were at a hotel for the night. We debated the time savings we would accrue if we went in tonight. We’d both like to take a shower too. The debate ends quickly and we are on the road looking for transportation. This hitch is a little difficult, but finally we are taken by a nice pilot who gives us dinner recommendations and drops us directly at our hotel. We got a room for just under the budget we had discussed and then headed to dinner. In the morning we received a Denny’s breakfast included in our hotel stay. Sarah has never been to Denny’s, so this is a big deal. Then we pick up our new shoes at the post office. At last! We also have new pants for me and a package of goodies from our personal angels Maria and Ben. A quick trip to the grocery store followed by a bus ride takes us back to the trail.

Back on track – officially in the Sierra

We hit the trail around 2 for our first official miles of the Sierra section – it feels great! As we climb I feel more and more tired. We called him after just under 9 miles and set up camp. We have prepared a bagged salad and sandwiches from the supermarket for dinner. The days after the city there are always vegetarian dinners, which is a plus. Some of our friends join us at camp and we all watch the sunset together.

Kennedy meadows south

It’s just 50 miles to Kennedy Meadows South, which is a big milestone for hikers. At 703 miles, it is the gateway to the Sierra Nevada mountains and a place we have only dreamed of reaching. The next two days are filled with anticipation to reach the famous destination. Finally we crossed Kennedy Meadows and hit the road. We’ve barely been on the road for a minute when someone offers us a ride in the bed of their truck. They drop us off at the general store, a hiker’s paradise. As we climbed, we received the famous applause and cheers that all hikers receive upon arrival. The porch is full of hikers, some we haven’t seen in 500 miles. We eat, chat, and catch up before collecting our bear canisters, ice axes, microspikes, and the food mailed to us from home.

Some of our friends are staying at Grumpy’s up the road. Sarah booked me into a hiker’s massage there in the morning, so after showering we headed there for the night. It is also full of hikers. We set up our tent and spent the night there. The next day we do laundry, I get my amazing massage, and we try to organize our gear. We have to plan our first foray into the mountains. This will include an attempt to reach the summit of Mount Whitney and our first of the high mountain passes. We discuss mileage and weather with other hikers and make plans to hike with our friend Cowgirl. The weather looks iffy, but we think if we get to Whitney base in 3 days we should have a window of solid weather on the 4th morning. Other hikers aren’t so sure and plan to spend more time at Kennedy Meadows to wait out the potential storm. We plan to bring an extra day of food in case we need to ride out the weather.

With our plans set, they will take us back to the general store in another van so we can hit the road early the next morning. We spent a little more time chatting on the porch with our friends from miles ago and hanging out with the store’s cat, Ranger. The Sierra is on the horizon for the next day and we are ready to go!

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