Day 12 May 18, 2017

• Daily mileage. 25
• Total miles 217
• Hiked from 5:30 am to 6:30 pm

 Today was all about long downhills and Trail Angels.

I had late arrivals into my camping spot last night, so I had to pack up all stealth like.  I had a very steady downhill grade for 11 miles right out of the hopper this morning.  I thought the one litre of water I had would suffice, so I passed on the off trail water source.  It worked out, but just barely.  I went the last mile or so with no water left.  At the bottom of the hill/mountain is a drinking fountain of all things.  Way out in the middle of nowhere.  But it was a very welcome water fountain I am here to tell you.

    

Early morning

200 miles in the bag

Another prehistoric rock beast  

Water fountain in the middle of nowhere

It was obvious from early on that this was going to be a warm day.  Not terrible, just warmer than most other days have been.

After leaving the fountain, I had a bit of a flat trudge across the desert floor before passing under Interstate 10.  As I was schlepping along, I came up over a very slight rise and there was a van with a canopy extending out from it's side.  Now, I have been on this trail for less than two weeks, but I have learned that a vehicle with shade attached to can only mean one thing.  Trail magic!  And it was.  A very well known trail angel by the name of Coppertone was set and giving away donuts, fruit, pretzels, and greatest of all, root beer floats!  Greatest breakfast ever.

Coppertone

I sat in the shade with Coppertone for a bit and chatted.  What an amazing human.  He is very humble, but gives not only to the PCT hiking community (he will move north with the herd over the course of the summer) but gives in many other aspects of his life too.  He lives a nomadic life and seems very content with that.  I had heard of him on other PCT blogs and was really happy to meet him.

After I left Coppertone's shade, I finished the hot slog to I10.  The PCT passes under the freeway via a bridge.  Personally, I think they could have set a crossing monitor, but that is just me.  Anyway, as a few of us were sitting in the shade of the bridge (yeah, dreams are made of this PCT life style), a lady (Deb) parks her car nearby and wanders down to us to offer us peaches.  Oh yeah, and if anybody needs a ride to the nearest town (Cabazon), that would be fine too.  Now there is an In n Out Burger in Cabazon, so her car filled immediately.  I did not partake because I knew that somewhere near the burger joint there would be a Best Western that would suck me in for the night.  I am that weak.

So off into the heat of the afternoon I went.  This included the only significant climb of the day at about 2,000 feet.  Part way up the climb, there is a wind farm and corresponding office that the trail goes right past.  The company has set up a shady area for hikers and offered us bottled water.  Is there any end to the trail magic today?  But wait, there is more.

Mesa Windfarm

Camping spots are a bit thin in this area, so I had targeted a preserve area that allows hikers to use their facilities, including the lawn to camp on.  Well, set up in the picnic area is another rather famous Trail Angel by the name of Legend.  And he is making spaghetti for all of us.  Really.  I shit you not.  Sorry Legend, I forgot to snap a pic of you.

Whitewater Preserve

So, all in all, it was a very long, warm day (25 miles is my new personal best) that featured the absolute best in people.  That is right up until I had set up my tent and went to the washrooms (with running water, that is how good today was) to get ready for bed.  Now, you have to understand that this grassy field is easily the size of a football field.  And there may be 10 of us with tents spread out around it.  Well, an old boy who I have not met before was just about to set up his tent probably 5 feet from mine.  So I shooed him away to a more civilized space between our tents (his feelings may have been hurt, but really).

Home for the night