Wind, stars and German cakes

These three days brought a completely new experience: our first walk at night through the Mojave desert. We cross the long, planes and suction strokes beyond the huge wind farms and the cowboy camping under the stars. On the 41st, it was a classic day of paths with ups and downs, our first rattlesnaked meeting and a surprise soda of an angel of trails. For day 42, we get up before dawn to get to the city, where we finally give ourselves German cakes, purchases of groceries and long -awaited showers. The wind was relentless, the hard land, but the reward, the comforts of the city and the good company, made everything worth it.

Day 40 – Our first night walk

We start at 7:15 pm, ready for our first night walk. Lee had found bright sticks, and with a tall humor we started on a dusty road that was reconnected with the PCT. This stretching through Mojave is usually done at night due to the lack of shadow and an endless and flat landscape.

The first hour felt magical: chatting next to each other when the sun put behind us. But soon the novelty disappeared, and became repetitive. We paused often for sandwiches, we tried to navigate by stars (and we failed miserably), and we wait for the moon to rise. When he finally did, we were already tired and sore for walking on full dirt roads.

We arrived at the edge of a wind farm, where the bursts began to collect. Fortunately, we were camping tonight, without tents, so we only needed a flat place. Around 1:15 AM we found a wind behind a bush. Brushed teeth, sleeping bags and lights off.

We woke up slowly, enjoying the shadow we had found. Around 8:30 am we approach the water source under a nearby bridge, where we install breakfast in the fresh shadow. There is no hurry today, we were just walking six miles later in the afternoon.

The tulips (the two high Dutch girls) arrived while we ate. His brother and boyfriend had come to visit them, and we were spending a very lazy day under the bridge with everyone: filtering water, chatting, eating snacks, doing absolutely nothing.

In the afternoon, we packed and walk through an endless maze of wind turbines. The path climbed and the wind intended. We walk a single file, just able to listen to us. In the camp, we met Mark again and help him deal with some unpleasant blisters. There is no tent again: the second round of the jeans camp.

Day 41 – Magic of wind, rattlesnake and sodasque

We woke up and start above, the theme of most of the mornings. My pimp was still bothering me, but it only hurt in the descent, so I appreciated the climb. We went to Timo and read when they were having breakfast, and then we reached a cache of surprise water with chairs, a hiker box, books and even board games.

After a long break, we walk with a plan to lunch together after four more miles. The weather was warm but not brutal, thanks to the clouds. However, the wind had returned, strong and stable, especially near another great wind farm. We could not find the place for the lunch we point to, so we settle for the shadow under a tree, even if it did not offer much protection against the wind.

Only a few miles were left to the camp, but the wind became wild, sudden bursts that almost knocked us. While walking, I heard the unmistakable sound of a rattlesnake, the first! He was a small one, hidden under a bush, and fortunately he slipped quickly.

We arrive at the exhausted camp and with the wind. At least the site had some protection. Patrik explored a nearby cache and returned with cold soft drinks and cookies from an angel of trails. A great impulse of mood after a difficult day.

We stretch, we have dinner with thymus and read, and review the weather, bad news. A strong wind warning with bursts up to 80 km/h. We were camped just below a wind farm, so … great. Just before dusk, Cookie arrived and joined us. Family faces always help in difficult conditions.

Day 42 – City day!

The alarm shot at 5:00 am there is no breakfast today, we were too excited to get to the city. We packed quickly and left in the dark, capturing a beautiful sunrise while we walked through the wind turbines.

The pimpilla hurt, but I could almost ignore it with the city’s food in my mind. We found a bush with enough breakfast refuge: Timo and Lea also joined us.

Then, we approach the long descent to the 58 highway, where an angel of trails was scheduled to pick us up. Luckily, he was already leaving hikers when we arrived. We entered and gave us a small tour of Tehachapi before leaving us in a German bakery.

The bakery was incredible: we had sandwiches, cakes and coffee, while the place slowly was filled with other hikers. After lunch, we planned a grocery race to Walmart. We were responsible for preparing breakfast for eight people the next day, so we loaded in pancake supplies.

Just when we wondered how we would take everything back, our angel of trails appeared magically again and offered us a trip. What time! After leaving our team in the rental house, we finish the purchases and walk the rest of the return road, almost 40 minutes with heavy bags.

The house was perfect: spacious, clean and completely supplied. We wash clothes, broadcast sleeping bags, take long showers and finally relax. The dinner was made by the Dutch girls and was delicious: fresh food, a lot of flavor and even a yogurt dessert with fruit. After a beautiful night with our family of paths, we collapse in real beds before 9 pm, practically midnight according to the standards of trails.

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