May 31: Joshua Tree Forest N of Hikertown - Tyler Horse Canyon, 16 mi

Peels, Tourist, Weeds, Wodie, Wildflower, Histo, Nips, and Mad Dog Murph

Hi Vickie & Jeff!

     How's your Arkansas Summer? Have you been traveling a lot? I've been thinking about you guys a lot lately, especially today.

     Today, we crossed the Mojave Desert. Now, it's not as bad as it sounds! Okay...it's pretty bad. But we only crossed the very Western corner, so it could have been a lot worse. We found, that like the stereotypical desert, the Mojave is hot, and and dry. The flat terrain let us make great time, but as the day went on the heat made us heavy. The trail parallels the aqueduct that runs from the Colorado River to LA. We could hear the rushing water beneath our feet, but we couldn't access it. No trespassing! I kept thinking, "water, water everywhere, and not a drop I drink." What a cruel joke!

     Early this morning, we crossed a road called "Gaskil Road" and I thought that was just too cool! Just a little taste of home out here. :) We got up early, but no matter how early, its hard to escape the heat for long. Everyday we'll wake an hour earlier than the day before, and still wish we had tried for at least two.

Shade is rare, and precious. Around 10AM, we made it to Cottonwood Creek Bridge. There we stayed until 6PM with over 20 other hikers. Some brave souls ventured in around 2 an 3PM--and had chosen to take on the desert at the hottest part of the day. For the rest of us, we held up and played cards, ate, slept and got to know each other--moving minimally, except to shift our sleeping pads to the shade as the sun moved the bridge shadows across our little ditch home.

     That night we hiked into a highland desert and made it to Tyler Horse Canyon, where there was a good stream and plenty of camping for all of us. It felt powerful to be in a pack. We all cheered each other as one by one we made it into camp.

     In a few years, the PCT will wrap around the ridge that frames the Mojave. But hey, we had a great day! This trail is going well, and we're anxious to see what's next.

     Missing you guys. Coming out for a visit??

     Love, Karrie & Jake

May 30: Casa De Luna - Hiker Town Hostel

Hey Alissa!

     How's Philly treating you? I hope you're still kicking butt at PennFuture, saving the planet one city at a time!

     Today was a truly interesting day on the trail. It started off on a good note when I made us pancakes to celebrate passing mile 500 yesterday! Syrup tasted so good that when we ran out of pancakes I drank some straight! Haha It didn't taste bad, but I wouldn't recommend it.

     After breakfast we began hiking through the desert. We have officially entered the Mojave... and it. is. rough. Some people hike through the night to avoid the heat, & I can see why. Karrie & I enjoy sleep too much to turn our hiking schedule upside-down, but we felt the consequences of our decision today.  Fortunately for us there was a great place for us to stop mid-day; a hostel called "Hiker Town."

     Hiker Town has to be one of the oddest stops on the PCT. It looks exactly like a town you'd see in an old western movie, & that's because the owner actually buys Hollywood movie sets & reconstructs them here! There's a Feed Store, School House, Doctor's Office, Post Office/Sheriff's Station, & a Hotel. Each one is full of props too! Hiker's can opt to stay in one of the buildings overnight if they make a donation.

As strange as this place was, it was a welcomed sight after our 15 mile day. We talked with our friend "Sunday" & found out that of a friendly local gives hikers rides to & from his store that is located about 9 miles up the road. When he pulled up 5 of us piled into his car (Me, Karrie, Forest, Cougar, & High Life.) The store was small, but the food was great!

     Back at Hiker Town we took showers, washed clothes, & talked with fellow hikers about how to take on the next section of the Mojave. The next water is 20 trail miles from Hiker Town & there isn't really any shade in between. After much discussion Karrie & I decided to hike 5 more miles tonight at 7pm.

     Shortly after leaving Hiker Town the trail meets up with the Los Angeles Aqueduct, which consists mostly of water from the Colorado River, & it looks just as powerful. Despite its obvious sustainability flaws, the water was beautiful to walk next to as the sun set over the desert. Eventually the open faced aqueduct turned into a giant steel pipe that we continued hiking over, & as night set in we found a dense area of Joshua Trees to camp in. Short night of sleep & in the morning we will be racing the sun to our next water source.

     Karrie & I still talk a lot about moving to Pittsburgh once we finish the trail... Any chance you'll be coming back soon?

-Jake (& Karrie)

May 29: Mile 480 - Water Tank at 502, 23 mi

Hey Jenny!

     We hope you had a good Winter and that you're feeling ready for the RMYC season.

We're making great progress on the PCT and crossed the 500 mile marker today! Only 2000+ more miles to go. It feels like its going fast.

     The trail life reminds us of RMYC all the time. We still talk about making bread pudding in the Dutchy, Parkview Mtn, and all of the mint chewy bars we ate. Speaking of which, we found a box when we were packing our resupply packages and stowed a couple away for this week. Mmm tastes like Steamboat.

     Thanks again for sending Jake's shoes! Good luck with the Summer!

     Happy trails,

     Karrie & Jake

May 28: Mile 460 - Just Passed Casa De Luna, 17 mi

BACON!

     How are you my dearest fisherman? Did you enjoy BRF? I heard you're heading back to the Midwest for a while. Might you be around in October, when Jake and I are sliding back through?

     For now, we're about 450 miles into our hike on the PCT. And today, we had a huge FREE feast for Memorial Day, got the chance to relax, and hiked over 17 miles. BAM. That's right.

     We started our day early with our sights set on "Casa De Luna," a trail angel house. It was Memorial Day, and while it was sure to be quite the MAD house, Jake and I didn't want to miss out in some burgers and dogs.

     Cravings make miles. And so, after a few quick stops for trail magic and water caches, also provided by Casa De Luna, we made it to our hitching highway. It was only 1 o'clock.

     We had heard that Casa De Luna is a forever party house. Hikers that come don't necessarily leave easily. But this is no ordinary vortex. Not only are the angels awesome and make you want to stay, but if you actually muster up the motivation to leave, they have been known to hide your pack or your shoes.

So here we were ready to hitch. We turned to each other to have one last group meeting. Are we sure we want to do this? We decided, yes. Yes we do.

     On a trail sign next to the road I notice a note, it read: "Your ride will be back soon.". That couldn't be for us. Just then, a black SUV rolls up and the back window right by us rolls down. A happy voice yells out: "Hey, you guys heading to Casa De Luna? Well get in, get in!" Here we go!

When we pulled up to the house we were each adorned with an Hawaiian t- shirt, and shown where we could camp. Jake and I held tight I our belongings. Relax, everyone insisted. Take off your shoes. Not our shoes!

     Eventually though, we did relax. How could you not? EVERYONE was wearing Hawaiian shirts, half of the hikers were sleeping, and the other were smiling with their drink of choice. There was even a table where people were painting rocks. Paint anything you want, they said. Oh yeah, I painted a giraffe.

     Burgers, dogs and all the fixins. So good! We felt awkward eating and running, but we were worried that if we didn't run now, we might not get the chance to leave. Terri, the lady of the house, offered to take us back to the trail. "Uh oh," we thought as we put our packs in her trunk..."What if she locks it and tells us we're staying?!" But she didn't. She took us to the trail just the way we wanted and we got the chance to talk to her more candidly then before. She truly loves hikers, and she gives her trail angel job the highest priority. She told us to come back and run the house for a day or two, she could use a well-deserved break.

     We hiked a for a few more miles beyond the road and made camp. The day was great. I'm overwhelmed by the generosity of people along the trail-- these aren't even hostels. They do it because they can. They do it for the love of hikers.

     I love hiking.

Miss you Bacon,

Love, Dipper

P.S. A few days later, a hiker who was detained at Casa from a few missing belongings, was also hiker-napped by the Casa folks from Hikertown Hostel, over 50 miles farther North. So, it does happen! Good thing they didn't like us as much as they liked him! ;)

May 27: Hiker Haven - 7 miles past Agua Dulce, 7 mi

     Took a nero in Agua Dulce at the Saufley's "Hiker Haven." Didn't get much sleep. Up early and grabbed breakfast at the Sweetwater Cafe. Delicious! Met H-Bom, Jangles and Baro there too. After naps, and internets we hiked 7 miles out of town and camped with The Dude.

May 26: KOA - Agua Dulce, 10 mi

Hi Grandma!

     Welcome back to Ohio! I hope you had an enjoyable winter in Florida. I heard that the rest of my family had a chance to visit with you; I wish I could have been there!

     Karrie & I had a great time on the trail today. We hiked 10 miles to a town called Agua Dulce, which is Spanish for "Sweet Water." On the way in we crossed through Vasquez Rocks. It's a really cool looking rock formation that is featured in a lot of films, including The Flintstones, Power Rangers, & Star Trek. The park was named after a horse riding bandit, who would rob places in Los Angeles & then race out to these rocks to hide out.

     Once we made it into town we were directed to a trail angel's house. Hikers often refer to this house as "Hiker Haven," & after a walking through the gate we knew why! The Saufley family who own the property & runs the place, had set up an amazing retreat for any PCT hiker who wanted to stop by. The garage had been transformed into a post office for sending & receiving packages, the yard was covered in canvas tents each filled with cots, near the horse stables were out houses & a rack of bicycles that hikers could ride to & from town, & they even had a trailer home set up where we could grab showers or cook a meal! We had heard this place was an incredible stop along the trail, but had not expected this!

     Prior to arriving, Karrie & I were discussing my trail name. While on trail everyone uses an alias, which is traditionally given to you by other hikers. A couple of days ago a hiker named "bow-leg" said that my hat made me look like Jack from Jack & the Beanstalk, & he wanted to name me "Jacky-Bean." I liked it, but I wanted some time to think about it. Now I knew if I didn't decide today before town I would likely have a name forced upon me. I liked that the name had my same initials & it reminded me of how I was named after grandpa Jack, so I decided to keep it!

     I met a lot of new people at Hiker Haven & introduced myself by my new trail name. Karrie & I had fun getting to know everyone. I was also fortunate enough to catch a ride to the gear store & grocery store from a generous Hiker Haven volunteer. Without a doubt one of our best days yet!

     We can't wait to see you at Kyle & Kelly's wedding this fall! Karrie is really looking forward to meeting you.  Have a great summer!

     Love, Jake (aka Jack-y-Bean)

May 25: Weather Trail - KOA in Acton, 20 mi

Hey Elise!

     How's life?! I'm guessing your days have been as wild as ours have since leaving RMYC!

Today was a particularly wild day. When we woke up, it was freezing, windy, & oddly dark considering the time. When we opened the tent we were shocked to see white all around. We were literally in the clouds! Our packs were sitting on top of a trailer we camped next to; it was an attempt to keep them away from sprouting poodle dog bush, but instead they were now totally soaked. We packed everything up anyway & began hiking through the fog, hoping it would burn off later in the day.

     For hours & hours we hiked down the detour road with limited visibility & limited guidance. We hadn't seen anyone in 36 hours, the trail wasn't well marked, & the fog made it difficult to figure out which way was North. We pressed on frigid but determined. Eventually we hiked through the remains of the old fire station that had burned down in 2009 during a forest fire. The blackened buildings along with the deep fog & strong winds made this place look more ominous than a post-apocalyptic zombie film set. (Did I mention we were alone?! Haha)

     After hiking another hour past the burned station we began accepting the fact that the fog wasn't going to burn off. Jake gave in & used a pair of socks as gloves & added an extra layer to stay warm. Today was not his favorite day... Once we finished the detour there was still poodle dog bush to be dodged. Eventually we hiked down the mountain far enough to sink below the clouds, but the winds were still so wild that we were unable to cook the warm lunch we had planned on. Instead we decided to hightail it further down the mountain to a KOA Campground that was known for its hot showers, food shop, & hiker friendly price. Before we arrived Jake's camelback broke & spilled water all over his gear.

     Finally we made it to the KOA in the valley & the weather was significantly better. Some of our friends were camped there too! We treated ourselves to a pint of ice cream, candy, dinner, laundry & showers. By the time we went to bed we were so content that we had completely forgotten just how insane our day had been.

     It would be so awesome to meet up with you sometime while we're all in California! We'll be sure to keep in touch as we go.

     Much love, Jake & Karrie

May 24, Glenwood BSA Camp - Weather Trailer, 22 mi

Hi Oliver!

     It's Karrie Kres and Jake! How are you?! We miss you bud!

     Today we spent the whole day walking around a plant called poodle dog bush. It's green, with purple flowers. It's also very pretty. But we can't touch it, because this plant will make us ITCH!! If we touched it we would be scratching everywhere! On our heads, on our arms, and on our toes! The itch can last for weeks.

     The plant is all over the trail we're hiking! So, Jake and I decided that we should walk on the road where the plant didn't grow. We were safe! We had a great time and we hiked 22 miles!

     We hope that you are having a fun Summer with the tractor and the chickens! Give your mom, dad and Mona a kiss for us. :)

     Love,

     Karrie & Jake

May 23: Little Jimmy Spring - Glenwood BSA Camp, 18 mi

Hey Tony & Brittany!

     It was great seeing you guys at the wedding! It's been too long and Karrie really enjoyed meeting you.

Karrie & I slept in this morning since we stayed up late night hiking in the dark. After loading up with water at an excellent spring, we hiked down to highway 2. Today was the beginning of a series of detours. This first reroute was the "endangered species detour," (apparently the trail normally goes through the home of the rare mountain yellow-legged frog,) so we walked 4 miles down the road. You wouldn't think road walking would be very different from trail hiking, but in reality... it sucks. The black pavement is hot, boring, & hard on the feet.

     Eventually the detour led us to a campground that was overrun with trailers & equipment. We soon learned that a film crew was using the site to film a gum commercial. The commercial shows someone feeding a bald eagle a piece of gum & then putting a wig on it..? It sounded a bit odd to us. We weren't that interested in the commercial anyway because we were totally distracted by the HUGE spread of food they had set up for lunch. They didn't offer us any though...

     Later in the day we made it back onto the trail and set up camp at 400 mile mark. Just 2250 miles to go!

I hope you have good weather this weekend for the block party reunion. We wish we could be there too! Eat some food and think of us! Haha

     -Jake & Karrie

May 22: Mile 359 - Little Jimmy Springs Campground

HEY GOOCH!
     How are you?  Hope you're having a great Summer in the 'Boat!  Jake and I are having a great time on the PCT.   The views are SICK!  It's smoother and more gradual than the AT--really making use of mountain's contours.  There are boat loads of people out here, around 700 at last count and they're all heading North.  One of our buddies, Mr. Wizard, actually reminds me a lot of you.  Too bad he doesn't have a side of Bacon with him.  :)
     Today's hike was relaxed.  And in stark contrast to the day before when we climbed out of Cajon Pass.  Now that we were up on the ridge much of our hike was greeted with jaw-dropping views at the mere cost of a few rolling hills.
     The trail isn't the only path that took advantage of the easy scenery, Highway 2, like Skyline Drive in the Shenandoahs, weaved through the ridge line, crossing the PCT over ten times.  Luckily for us hikers, everytime it did we got reap the benefits:  a restroom, a visitor center, a nice driver, or at the very least, a trash can.
    In the morning we passed through a ski resort called "Mountain High." Have you heard of it?  The mountain hardly compares to Steamboat in size or coolness factor, but it was fun to hike over in the off-season.   It felt like we owned it.
     In the afternoon, we climbed Mt. Baden-Powell, name for a BSA giant.  It had 42 switchbacks to the top.  On the way up Jake's very fun hat grabbed the attention of a hiker passing by.  Do we have the makings of a "Jack-y-Bean?"
     Uptop, there was no place to camp.  So we made our way down the ridge, night-hiking by city lights.  We stopped at Little Jimmy Springs to complee our longest mileage day yet at 24 miles.  We were utterly exhausted and happy.
     Gooch, it's so great out here.   And even though the majority of the PCTers have already hiked the AT, the PCT could no way come in second.  It's a different hike altogether and definitely worth the look-see.  Might I see you out here someday?
     Missing you and the rest of the crew, Lots of Love,
     Karrie

Hiking Underneath I-15

May 21: Cajon Pass - Mile 359, 16 mi

     We started out from the Best Western rather late--I blame their delicious hot breakfast. Maybe it was the huge uphill that laid ahead of us. Or perhaps we were fearful of all the warnings: "Watch out for the homeless gangs," "There's no water for 20 miles!" "The poodle dog bites." "The sun burns!" We made it out by 7am, which is pretty late for hikers who tend to wilt in the heat and who knew all of the warnings were a bit true.
     But it wasn't a lost cause! No homeless gangs. Also, a few miles in, we came upon a water cache at Swarthout Canyon Road. The water was plentiful as were lawn chairs--like an island of misfits, these trail angels knew hikers would love 'em. About halfway up the climb, we took our first poodle dog bush detour, and hardly went out of our way. And although it was incredibly hot, we found enough shade to make for a comfortable afternoon nap.
     That night, we camped high on the ridge, still climbing. I-15 was glowing solidly white and red with car lights, and the sky looked like cotton candy. It is so worth it rise above the bussle. Tomorrow upward some more!

May 20: Lake Silverwood - Cajon Pass, 13 mi

Hey Phelan!
     How's life brother!? Guess what! Karrie & I hiked to Phelan, CA today!
     We woke up at a horse camp near Lake Silverwood & knew we had 13 miles to hike before we would be in the town with your name! The area is known to hikers mostly for the McDonalds that is a quarter mile from the trail (it's actually hyped up a lot, there is even a sign for it!) We made it to the McDonald's around 11 totally craving ice cream & fries so we quickly ordered & devoured. It was such a funny scene of heavily madeup folks driving out of LA and a bunch of dirty hikers.
     Phelan, CA is also the place where the trail passes under interstate 15. We hiked across thr highway to Best Western where we had a package to pick up and a reservation to make. We spent the rest of the day enjoying the many fine ammenities the town had to offer. Including showers & laundry at the hotel, Subway at the gas station, & ice cream at the Circle K. To top it all off we "watched" a solar eclipse from the hot tub with Stacey and the Indiana Boys. Memories of our time in Phelan, CA will forever be burned into our retinas.
     Much love,
    Jake & Karrie

May 19: MF Spillway - Silverwood Lake, 18 mi

Dear Men of Mitch's Marina,
     Remember me??  Last Summer, I was thru-hiking the New England Scenic Trail and hitched a boat ride to your Marina. You guys gave me treats from your store and hiked me up the next mountain.  Your generosity really helped keep me going.  And I know it's a little late to say this, but THANK YOU!
     This Summer, my boyfriend Jake and I are hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).  Its much longer, and there are plenty of new challenges, but we love it.  Today, we hiked past Silverwood Lake and it reminded me of you guys.  So, today's postcard goes out to you! :)
    This morning, we woke up near the spillway of the MF Reservoir and began an early hike across the desert.  We were desperate for some shade and miles, so we set our sights on the far shore of Silverwood Lake.  The trail to the lake was flat and easy, but monotonous--winding in and out of the hot hills for miles.
    My mouth was spewing with stories of my trip on the New England Trail the whole way.  But, there were no free boat rides across this time!  Instead, we hiked around.  No marina food to gorge ourselves on either.  So, like a bunch of hobos our hiking crew hid ourselves in the shade of a small bridge and ordered pizza.
     It was a simple day, but one of the best yet.  We made camp with Baro, H-Bomb, Jangles, and several others at a horse camp just a mile down the way.  I talked about the New England trail so much that day, that now, Jake is interested in hiking with me again someday.
It's been too long. I hope you are all well!
     Keep on Keepin' on,
     Karrie (& Jake)

May 18: Bench Camp - MF Spillway, 19 mi

Hey Chas!

     How's life in colorful Colorado? We hope you are still living the dream working outside & climbing a bunch!

     Today was a pretty wild day on the PCT. We woke up early to beat the desert heat & were excited to hear of a swimming hole with hot springs in our near future. But four miles into our day we reached a detour sign encouraging hikers to walk around beautiful Deep Creek an it's natural hot baths. This was due to a questionable bridge and a few rock slides. We opted to be rebellious, as most of the thru-hikers are, & didn't take the detour.

     We're so glad we didn't! Not only were the views totally worth it, but the trail wasn't even in bad shape.

After crossing a series of tributaries the trail finally sent us down to the creek. There was a small beach scattered with happy hikers, and four hot springs. Shortly after we arrived, a caravan of at least 20 people showed up as part of an Oakland Yoga retreat. They were a lot of fun to talk with & were fascinated by the thru-hiker crowd.

     A lot of hiker guidebooks have given these hot springs underwhelming reviews saying that the clothing optional beaches attracted a lot of overweight old men, but we had a blast here! There were a few awkward moments, as one would expect, but mostly just good times.

    Once the heat of the day was well passed we decided to press on down the canyon. The great views proceeded us all the way to the Mojave River Forks Spillway where we set up camp for the night. When we arrived with our friends Cheeseburger & GipCGirl we were the only ones there. By the time we set went to sleep there were over 20 hikers camping in the area.

     There's talk of more water tomorrow! We could get used to this.

Keep us posted on your happenings! Maybe we'll catch you on our way back East!

Jake & Karrie

May 17

DOO DOO!
     How are you?! How's Steamboat and the gang? Been thinking about you guys a lot recently--especially today, and you'll see why.
     HIKING!
     Today has been a day of reunions. First, we met up with Mr. Wizard and Dubs--a hiker couple we haven't seen for two weeks. We had passed each other the day before, and did a double take, but moved on. Jake had recent shaved and they didn't recognize him without the beard. We thought they were days ahead if us, and since all men with beards look alike, we didn't recognize them.
     It was so great to catch up! We all stopped for dinner on a sandy beach next to a sweet watering hole. Hikers piled into the camp after us, Baro, Jangles, Gipc Girl, Hamburger, and Damsel, a woman with an awesome dog that loved to chase its tail. Such a good group of people!
     We were all getting to know each other when the pup stopped spinning long enough for me to get a glimpse of its collar. There it was in red, white and blue--"STEAMBOAT! "We used to live in Steamboat!" Jake said excitedly. Apparently, Damsel aka Dana worked at Backcountry Sports and knew some folks from Rocky Mountain Youth Corps. Well, if she worked there, she's got to know Jess!...and Smilie, Jeff, Natalie, Gooch YOU, Louis, Lathrop, Brett, etc!! I started to rattle off names and we both started jumping around excitedly. Jumping, hugging, jumping. I could hardly believe we knew so many of the same people and that we would met here, of all places, for the first time. :)
     I miss you guys. We're going to make sure we stop in the Boat on our way back when the trail is done. Give everyone a hey and a hug from me, and let 'em know I met Dana!!
     Miss you and you and you!
     Karrie

May 16: Big Bear Area 18 miles

PAT!!!
     Congratulations on your graduation from Duke! I hope you, Kayla, & the fam had a great weekend of celebrations!
     Karrie & I just finished our first full day back on the trail. I used to venture out to this same area around Big Bear city when I was going to Redlands. It was my go-to spot whenever I was missing seasons & big trees. It was nice to revisit my old retreat. I even spotted some Joshua Trees, which I didn't at all expect to find on a mountain.
     Due to our break for the wedding Karrie & I were supposedly repositioned in the center of the thru-hiker pack, but this morning we didn't see anyone, & I was starting to wonder where the masses were hiding. Then as soon as we hit the road near town people were everywhere! Everyone we met today was new to us since all of our friends we hiked with before are farther north at this point. The new group seems really friendly & they have great trail names like Moxie, Cactus, Baro, & Jangles. We're looking forward to getting to know each them more this week.
     Hope all is well! Send me a text when you land your big job!
     -Jake & Karrie

May 15: Onyx Summit, 6 miles

Dear Flint, Sharon and Karl,
     Hello family! How are you?? I hope your Summer is shaping up to be a good one. Karl, you're almost out of school for the year, right? Any big plans for your vacation?
     Our vacation is spectacular! We just got back on the trail after a small break for a friend's wedding. It was an amazing wedding, and it's also great to be back.
     Last night our friend Alex picked us up at the Los Angeles airport and drove us to my car in Redlands. Yep, the Little Blue Kia still lives!!! We spent that night with our friends at the Track House, eating ice cream and watching movies.
     This morning we woke up with a lot on our "to-do" list. First, we bought a bunch of groceries. Next, we mailed 4 boxes of resupply food to towns we'll hike through over the next month. Then we packed up all of our belongings, showered, ate a LOT and headed for the hills (all before noon)!
     Our friend Ryan was kind enough to drive us back up the mountain to where we left off. On the way we stopped to pick up Karrie's pack & say one last farewell to Alex who works not to far from the trail in Big Bear.
     When we got back on the trail it felt better than ever. We were fresh and optimistic, knew our gear worked and we already had some callouses.
     We hiked for about 6 miles (+2 miles of getting lost--or "getting confused," as grandpa would say) and made camp. Tomorrow we'll hike around Big Bear City and meet some new folks. I can hardly wait!
     Lots of love to you all back home,
     Karrie & Jake

May 7: Mission Creek - Onyx Summit, 12 mi

     What a great way to wake up: with a crew of nice, laid back people, a blazing fire, and knowing we only had a few miles to more friends, food, family and a flight home.

Since we had plenty of time to get to Onyx Summit, we hiked at a relaxed pace, and took a lot of breaks to eat a lot of food. We officially had the hiker hunger--that urge to eat everything edible and in mass quantities. Imagine never being full! Fortunately we still had a good amount of food left in our packs to enjoy throughout the day.

     In the early afternoon, we caught the leisurely crew eating lunch. Our friend Clutch "joked" about there being a Grizzly Bear on the mountain. We found this funny, since Grizzly Bears haven't resided in California for over 40 years! But, less than a half mile down the trail we saw a giant grizzly, pacing! He and others were locked in small cages and the trail goes right by them. Apparently these bears are used in movies. Bummer.

     When we arrived at Onyx Summit, we said our farewells to the leisurely crew and went down the road to meet our friend Alex or "Burger King". Burger King & I met while hiking the AT & he offered to help us out on our hike. In his amazing generosity he picked us up from the trail, fed us massive quantities of food, let us stay in his house, & give us a ride to & from LAX! He was unbelievably helpful. We had a great time meeting his housemates, scarfing food, & learning about the science camp where he worked.

May 6: Interstate 10 - Whitewater River Crossing

Dear Allison,
     Thank you so much for driving us to the border! Our trip has been great so far & today was one of the best days yet! We woke up at our friend Pat's house to donuts & coffee. We had a bit of a late start on the trail, but soon crossed under I-10 where we found coolers full of iced beverages. There was also a note saying there was more trail magic to be had at 5pm near Whitewater so we set aim to make it there.
     After a hot 3 miles in the middle of the day we were ready for shade. We sluggishly made our way to the windmill power station where there was rumored to be shade & water. It turned out to have both in abundance! The workers had constructed a cabana from wood & palm leaves for us to hide in; there was a case of water too! We stayed all afternoon hanging out with Pat & the "leisure crew." Once we could feel the heat backing off & finally saw a few windmills spinning we set out again.
     The 6 of us arrived at the Whitewater reservation at 5:30 to find a huge meal of pasta, chicken, brownies, & more waiting for us! All homemade delicious food provided by the wonderful trail angels "Lake2Lake" & "WS Monty." (Clutch ate 3 full plates!) We hung around & socialized awhile, but we knew we weren't done hiking yet. Tonight was the SUPER MOON! The biggest full moon of the year! We figured, what better night than this to do our first night hike? No headlights, no sunburn, & much less heat! We hiked another 3 miles under the super moon before finally calling it a night. Such a great day!
     We hope your travel plans are panning out well & you're enjoying your summer!
     Love,
     Jake & Karrie

May 5: Mission Creek

Ada!
     How is beautiful North Carolina treating you? I had to send you today's postcard because we hiked through Mission Creek! Not only that, but we started & ended our day with Sterling too!
     As usual, all of our work still looks amazing & I bragged about it throughout the day. I even went as far as stopping Karrie to tell her stories about the steps my dad & I worked on, our campsite, & of course the refrigerator rock we moved!
     I hopped off the trail at our old camp to refill on water & was surprised to find that someone had constructed a swimming hole in the creek! Karrie & I couldn't pass that up in the middle of a hot day, so we went for a swim and lounged around until the heat of the day had passed.
     I wish I could say the whole day was perfect, but once we left our old worksite the day got a little tougher. Not only did we start the climb up toward San Gorgonio, but we also had our first encounter with the notorious Poodle Dog Bush. This poorly named, evil plant, looks & smells like marijuana & is said to be 10x worse than poison ivy! It's oils will make you puff up like a balloon & last year it ruined a lot of people's hikes. Fortunately, this section was only 2 miles long & was fairly passable. It did slow us down significantly though. At the end of the day we caught Sterling & the rest of the "leisurely crew." So we set up camp & reminisced about everything from mission creek "earthquakes" to Ada bars.
     Are you done with class for the summer? If so you should come hike with us sometime!
Missing you & the crew!
-Jake & Karrie

May 4: Fuller Ridge - Interstate 10, 17 mi

Hi Mark!
     I hope things are going well at the garage & that the paint in the office is continuing to provide a feminine touch, even in my absence. Today we woke up on the side of San Jacinto (10,804 feet tall). We had started our decent yesterday evening, but we still had 17 miles to go before we were off this mountain. Fueled by the idea of a massive buffet for lunch, we woke up early and began hiking down. It was sunny, hot, and very windy. As we made our way we could see the windmills & interstate 10 becoming larger. I definitely had food on my mind & I was missing our Wednesday breakfasts.
     When we finally made it to the bottom we still had 3 flat miles across the desert before we would reach I-10. Then Jake received a phone call from a friend saying that if we hurried they would squeeze us into their pick-up & take us to the casino buffet! So we ran across the desert! Have you ever tried to run in sand with a 40 mph headwind? After about an hour of phone tag, dying batteries, beeping horns, shouting, & a few mistaken trucks we finally united on the railroad tracks. Pat, Shameless, Clutch, & "Tickle Me Pink" were all glad to see us & ready to eat!
     At the casino we signed up for the rewards program and got our meals for FREE! Everyone ate multiple plates of delicious food. It was spectacular. Before leaving, Shameless & Clutch won over $100 each playing cards. We made our way back to Pat & his girlfriend Erin's house & spent the night reminiscing & having fun. It was day of amazing people & beautiful places. This is why I hike.
     Missing you & the rest of the guys.
     Karrie

May 3: Tahquitz Valley - Fuller Ridge, 13 mi

Little Dipper and Stride take in the evening view from San Jacinto Mtn.

Dear Daniele and Ken,
     Salut ma famille!  How are you?  
     Today we finished our climb up the very large, San Jacinto. This was our THIRD day of climbing this mountain, but the views made it all worth it! We woke to a sea of down feather-like clouds covering the valley below. Lower mountains poked through like islands.
     I-10 crosses just below in the valley, but right now you wouldn't know it to look. Our calm view is a secret from all the fast food and Californian drivers below.
     On our descent, the first area we came to was the notorious Fuller Ridge--its a place hikers circle and star on their maps. The ridge is on San Jacinto's north side, and has a fair amount of unmelted snow, which can be a challenge to cross. It definitely slowed our pace significantly, but we found it easier than expected. In the afternoon sun, the snow became slushy. We slipped, and we post holed, but we had fun!
     On the other side we cheered, victorious, and made a quick dinner. From there, it's still 19 miles down to I-10, so we made our way down the hillside to camp and knock off a few miles from the next day.
     Bisous! Karrie & Jake

May 2: Eagle Springs - Tahquitz Valley

Dear PCT,
     This past week has been breath-taking, in many ways. Your views are rewarding and romantic. Your trail is well-graded and smooth. You are a beautiful...path.
     Let me just start by saying, I want this to work. But recently, I feel like we've been going in different directions.
Yesterday, Jake and I camped on a windy ridge beside a side trail for a spring.  We discovered after a long steep hike down the mountain-side, that your "spring" wasn't flowing. The mellow yellow water trough beneath it was littered with juicy bugs. Since we were nearly out of water, we begrudgingly grabbed a litter each. But what am I saying, it's probably not you, it's me.
     Today, we missed the turn off for your next spring and were forced to press on to the one after. Jake volunteered to hike the half mile down. Despite the globs of mistletoe hanging from the trees, I hardly felt like giving you a kiss.
     I waited at the top of the ridge as those who had gone into town the day before (many showered, laundered and fed) filed in. Apparently our choice to avoid town the day before didn't reward us with any mileage gain on those that did. My mouth watered and I grimaced as I watched my friend Mr. Rattle bee finish off two of his to-go town sandwiches. Each story topped the next as hikers competed for who had the best day in town. Someone too told us we smelled. We hiked on.
     At the end of our very long 13 mile day, we came to Tahquitz Creek. This gave us a the chance to wash off some of our stink and relax. We met up with Stride and made dinner. It lifted my spirits, but I could hardly help but think, "Why PCT? Why?"
     I think it's all going to work out, but as the backstreet Boys once said, I just need to to "quit playing games with my heart."
     With Love,
     Dipper & Jake

May 1: Mile 144 Campsite - Eagle Spring

Happy Birthday Brother!
     I hope you had an awesome day of celebration! I'm jealous that you got to witness Redlands Track winning conference championships again!
We woke up early this morning anxious to see if there was a water cache at Highway 74. Usually thru-hikers will walk a mile down this same road to Paradise Cafe to eat a good meal and get water there. Unfortunately for us it was Tuesday... the only day of the week they're closed. When we arrived at 74 we were pleased to find a small cache of water; enough for us to press on.
     Over the course of our hike we have spotted a lot of solid rock climbing routes. Idyllwild is so loaded with cool boulders and rock formations it was really difficult to not drop our packs & start climbing.
     The rocks weren't the only change in scenery. Near the end of the day we began seeing less cacti & more pines. The shade & elevation offered a welcomed escape from the desert heat. But with new atmospheres comes new challenges.  As we hiked along the ridge the wind soared up the mountain & spontaneously shoved us. We weren't sure if our packs were anchoring us down or acting as sails!
      At the end of the day, we set up camp close to some brush to block the wind as best we could. We may be in for a loud night!
   Keep on keepin on!
   -Jake & Karrie