Winning big: the journey

Brrr. This morning it was cold. I ended up putting on pants and puffed up to start the day. We had over 8,000 feet to descend and I knew warmer weather was on the way, so I was enjoying the cozy, sheltered hike while I could.

As soon as I got below the cloud cover, the layers were removed. I walked alone for most of the day, catching up on podcasts and focusing on navigating the rocky terrain. The wind was intense throughout the day. I felt like he was about to pick me up and carry me down the mountain. It was definitely a little shaky every time a gust came.

Halfway through the day I hit the 200 mile mark! The pain in my foot is gone and the swelling is starting to go down. I was very happy to pass this milestone feeling strong. I’m starting to notice that the little aches and pains I felt in the previous weeks are disappearing. I no longer feel the weight of the backpack on my shoulders or the bruises on my hip bones. Everything feels more comfortable and routines become more natural. I’m getting stronger.

Our plan was to walk to a non-potable water tap and camp nearby to reach Cabazon in the morning. I received a text from Straight Up asking how I felt about continuing a little further to get to Hiker Haven at an angel trail house near town. This would leave us around 20 miles per day. I approached the trail angel to ask if he had room and there was only one spot left in his garage.

Difficult choice. I decided to give the spot to someone who might need it more than me after that long descent. At the water tap, I encountered Straight Up and Cool Beans in front of me, and then Bug shortly after me. The wind was still strong and the clouds were beginning to darken. Weighing our options, at the last minute we decided to get a cheap hotel room at the casino.

Juggernaut was traveling almost 30 miles a day to catch up with us. He asked us if we had any room to spare, so the five of us decided to split the room. With a shower and a warm bed and no wind in our near future, we walked the 3 miles of sand to the I-10 overpass.

Paper signs signed by all the hikers who had gone before us were hung on the overpass. A tracking angel was dropping off Ted Talk and offered to take us to the casino. The angel of the trail, Hot Dog, was the nicest guy with a pretty good hiking resume. He is a retired sailor who lives in his trailer and travels to climb the highest peaks and help hikers in the community along the way. The trip was very, very appreciated.

Walking into the casino was overwhelming. We had only been hiking for 2 days from idyllwild, but the intensity of the flashing lights and layers of sound was a stark contrast to the serenity of camping on a mountaintop.

Before we could take a shower and rest our feet, we dropped off our backpacks and headed to In n Out. This is the closest In n Out trail and a notable stop for many PCT hikers. I got grilled cheese and animal style fries, while the kids had one or even two doubles. The hunger of the hikers is beginning to arrive little by little.

Jug met us at In n Out after demolishing his 30-mile day, and we all limped back to the hotel with full bellies, excited for the night ahead. Back at the hotel, we took turns taking hot showers and assessing our food needs to get to Big Bear. We plan to take about 4 days to get to Big Bear. I currently have 2 days worth of food, so tomorrow I’ll have to buy 2 more days (and replenish the nerd group’s supply, of course).

Being at the casino must have given us a second wind because after figuring out the logistics of the trail, we decided to head downstairs to play a little and have dessert. We were really trying to hit it big to rent a mansion with a sauna in Big Bear. A girl has to dream. Unfortunately, our trail budget play money didn’t get us very far… No sauna for us.

Despite losing my $5 on the penny slots, I still felt like a winner walking through the casino with an Oreo shake in hand. Bug and noticed the strange kind of whiplash that is this life. You can hike 20 miles and 8,000 feet down the mountain during the day and then gamble at the casino at night. The trail is a strange place. I love it here.

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