Mojave

5/24-
Day 44 - "It never rains in May in the Mojave, Right?" At least, that's what we thought when preparing for this 108 mile leg. I sent off my rain pants & bivvy sack - Jonny & Maria sent ahead their tent & other wet-weather gear. This evening we left Donna's house in Agua Dulce into this blowing mist/drizzle. As we hiked into the Sierra Pelona & gray afternoon turned into Gary evening, the wind picked up, blowing damp clouds across the saddle where we camped. We rigged up a comical/pitiful shelter out off the rain fly & Ben's tarp, which kept us all from getting totally soaked, but not by much. I feel like a grade-a moron for having sent ahead my bivvy. - Ez

"The rain falls down without my help, I'm afraid, and my lawn gets wet without my consent." - They Might Be Giants

5/25-
Day 45 - Mist and drizzle again all day today. Sure am glad I sent ahead my rain gear. - Ez

More vocabulary:
Weather Gods - A group of petty and powerful deities responsible for global climate control. They are known to punish and reward hikers based on the degree to which they inconvenience themselves out of fear and respect for the gods. - Ben

5/26-
Day 46 - Passed the 500 mile mark today.

For our new column "Ask Squirrelfight," Frank of Montana wonders "Squirrelfight, why is your hat so small? I mean, that is a really small hat"

Dear Frank,
The hat is actually very, very big. It just appears small on my enormous head. Thanks for writing.

Send your questions to "Ask Squirrelfight" c/o this website.

5/27-
Day 47 - Photo of Jack Fair today. This guy is what we picture when we think of Ezra in 50 years when he'll go by Old-tough-as-nails.

Day 47 - The last three years I have spent my birthday with a big group of great friends up at the Watkin's mountain hideaway on lake Chacorua in New Hampshire. I think a couple people might be up there this year, but not the whole group, and I've been thinking how much I'll miss that weekend.
When I thought of my birthdays before Chacorua, I realized that I have been hiking on my birthdays for the past six years. Coincidence? I'm not sure.
The past 3 years we summited Mt. Chacorua on my 26th, 27th, and 28th birthdays. On my 25th, Maria and I were out for three or four days hiking New Hampshire 4000 footers in the snow. In 1995, Tanner and I did 24 miles for my 24th birthday in Shenandoah national park (click here to read my account of that Viking celebration). In 1994, my brother and I were out there for three days on Point Reyes National Seashore in California. This year my birthday falls on day 50, out town day in Mojave, and we will probably just hike a few miles out of town. Today, though, we did a birthday hike to end all birthday hikes. Inspired by my AT birthday, we decided to walk all of our biggest mileage day ever... 29 miles for my 29th.
It was a crazy day starting at 4 AM. Summited Liebre Mountain before sunrise and found a stash of Black Cherry Sodas (and a beer) by 8 AM. Road walked seven miles avoiding a section described in the guidebook as "clearly designed by lawyers intent on inconveniencing hikers, rather than by trail planners trying to accommodate them." Spent an hour in the back yard of three points Roadhouse Bar&Grill before they opened. Spent five hours at Jack Fair's in the shade in his garage. Met John Ward, the PCT coordinator in this area, and he drove our packs the last 16 miles and stashed water for us along the way. We went swimming in the California Aqueduct, and didn't get to camp until 11 PM. Even though most of the day was dead flat (across the Mojave desert along the LA aqueduct) I'm not sure we would have made it the 29 miles in that heat if we had had the packs. Thanks John! - Jonny

Day 47 - Yesterday afternoon & this morning have been some of the most unexpectedly pleasant hiking of the trip. High on the slopes on Leibre mtn, on the edge of Mojave, we wound in and out of Chaparral, Douglas Fir forests, and Black Oak Savannah. The previous two days of cloud and mist had scrubbed the air, and we enjoyed our first nearly smog-free day since the Lagunas, with views North over the Tehachapis and distant southern Sierra. We camped under big Black Oaks near the summit, and were out of camp by 5:00 am. The trail has run West for 250 miles, and at Liebre mountain, it turns North again. From the top, we looked Southeast to the pre-dawn lights of Los Angeles. Minutes later, we watched the sun rise bright pink over the Mojave while we descended through Oak forest. We hiked fast from there, trying to get in as many miles as possible before being exposed to full desert heat. - Ez-

5/28-
Day 48 - Tom caught up with us today - a momentous occasion for me. Not because a hiker catching us is anything rare, but because he was carrying my wallet. On cold and wet day 44 I noticed I had left town without my warm shirt (which I'm sure is at least partly why it was so cold and wet). The following day I reached a Ranger station where I was able to call back to the Saufley's and arrange to have it sent ahead to the next town. While on the phone, Marshall let me know that I had also left my wallet behind. Those of you who know me well are not surprised - I do this about a half a dozen times a year. My father will be proud to know that I'm carrying on the family tradition. It's a good thing I don't need any keys out here. If there's a way to lock myself out of the wilderness, I'll figure it out before this walk is through. - Ben

Day 48 - Combined today 2 of our most planned and anticipated endeavors: the 29-mile day and the dreaded crossing of the Mojave. Somehow we managed to combine the two and have a really fun, almost leisurely, day of hiking. We even managed to squeeze in a swim in the California Aqueduct - Great Fun! Extra special thanks goes out to the trail angel John Ward, who spent the afternoon driving our packs up to Cottonwood Creek and dropping off water stashes all along the route so we could hike the last 16 miles with tiny day-packs. We finally staggered into camp at 11:00, and I slept like the dead. - Ez

More vocab:
Stealth camping - surreptitiously staying the night in a place where camping is illegal.

Critter camping - making a camp by breaking off the dead lower branches of shrubs or chaparral, then crawling underneath to sleep.

"Croakies" - along with the floaties, toadies, and grodies, something you find in your water. Croakies are once-living things usually found floating on top of the water. Dead toadies - really gross!

5/29-
Day 49 - Photo of Ben ordering a pizza to be air-dropped.

Today we walked for ten miles between giant "wind farms." These farms seem to be producing quite a lot of wind in this area. - Squirrelfight

Day 49 - Vocabulary: Bow hunter's creed - if you kill it, you eat it.

Day 50 - (About Day 42) A long time ago in a land far away Pickle experienced perhaps one of her rougher hiking days. It was just over 100 miles ago on a planned 18-mile day into our next stop - Agua Dulce. Ben and Ezra were concerned about the heat and eager to get to town for lunch, so they got up and took off by 4 a.m. Squirrelfight and Pickle had a late night watching the season finale of X-Files at the ranger station and didn't get going until after 6 a.m. It was only 8.9 miles to the next water in Soledad Canyon, so Pickle carried the usual 2 quarts of water. The walk was mostly decent but the morning heat proved to be so brutal that Pickle was sweating abundantly by 7 a.m. Usually 2 quarts of water is sufficient for 10 to 13 miles. Today it was hardly sufficient for 6. Needless to say, Pickle became dehydrated and heat exhausted early in the day. She made it to Soledad Canyon by 11 a.m. with barely enough strength to find some water. She did have the common sense though to figure out a plan to skip the next leg of the walk (10 miles uphill) and find a ride to Agua Dulce. Pickle had the name and address of a couple (trail angels) in Agua Dulce, Jeff and Donna. So she went straight to their home. When she arrived Jeff was at the front gate surrounded by small barking dogs. He smiled, welcomed her and led her though the chambered gate system which prevents dogs from running out. The house is surrounded by a well groomed garden and even a 15'x15' patch of grass. I'm sure one can imagine the difficulties of grass growing in the desert. Pickle was a little confused of where she should go or leave her pack. She was led to a mobile home, and she asked if she would leave her pack outside. The answer was, "No, bring it inside." She could hardly grasp the reality of witnessing the modern amenities before uttering her polite thank you. To her right there was a fully equipped kitchen. To her left a living room with couches, TV, VCR, stereo with record player and lots of movies to watch. Further on there were two bedrooms and a bathroom fully stocked with hiker paradise items - soaps, clean clothes to wear while Donna did our laundry, towels, etc. There was a master bedroom with a double bed that Pickle quickly claimed for herself and Squirrelfight. There were no other hikers when Pickle arrived. She spent a couple of hours with just one other person - showered, made lunch and watched a movie - AHHH!
Jeff and Donna's place is affectionately known as the Hiker Haven. The Menacing Vegetables spent 3 days and 2 nights at this wonderful haven. Many hikers came and went. When we left there were approximately 30 hikers there. The pack has officially caught up. Squirrelfight and Pickle cooked up a mean breakfast for 10 aching belly hikers there the first morning. Staggering Willie cooked an amazing eggplant parmesan dinner on our second night - yummy! And Pickle took showers every morning. :-)
We played lots of records and watched a few movies including K2. So now we all know how to die above 8,000 meters. There was an old Greek record, so we had 2 Greek dance parties. Ezra picked up the dances pretty quickly, and Pickle missed the bouzoukia clubs. There was also a telephone and computer with internet access! Of course the most amazing part of the Hiker Haven was Jeff and Donna's overly gracious hospitality. They give so much to hundreds of hikers yearly and ask for very little in return. They are truly a very special part of the PCT and our experiences. I don't think we could ever thank them enough for their incredible kindness.
Staggering Willie gave Donna her new trail name - "Saint Donna, Our Lady of the Laundry." Donna personally washed every article of every single hiker's clothing. A LOT of dirty laundry. - Maria

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