Days 23-25: Joshua Tree zeros

I took three zeros with Andrea in Joshua Tree. We did some climbing and lots of relaxing.

Day 22: mile 568, Tehachapi

Today was a short day, just getting myself near the road to meet Andrea tomorrow. It was windy, with some beautiful clouds.

I'll be taking the next three days as zeros. A vacation from my vacation.

Day 21: mojave, water works, mile 542

The most interesting part of today was the viewing of Californias water works. 

After a quick stop at hiketown for water,

I was on my way across the desert. First I saw the California aqueduct:

Next was the intersection of three somewhat unrelated government projects: the california aqueduct, the La aqueduct and the PCT. The three all insterect at one place! Looking out along the LA aqueduct:

As I walked the next few miles along the LA aqueduct, I kept thinking about how it changed southern CA. Famously, at theceremony  for it completion, William Mullholand was called up to open the spigot and delivery a speach. Apparently a man of few words, he uttered the most famous words in CA water history, " There it is, take it."

Jared Diamond also has a famous quote  about water in the west, "Water flows uphill towards wealth and power". The LAWD apparently has taken this to heart. Is that an "&" or an "is" on the side of their bulldozer?

I think the LA aqueduct was completed in the nineteen teens. As I walked along the top of the tube, I could tell it was getting a little old. There were fumerals of sediment where it had sprung small leaks:

Eventually it was covered in concrete. i saw a gopher snake near it,

when I stopped for my new favorite meal, flour tortilla, nuttella and string cheese! I think this one would be good even if I were hiking.

Eventually I walked through a massive wind farm. It was windy.

I camped near tylerhorse spring, at mile 542.

Day 20: mile 508

The day started with an unpleasant road walk around the 2013 powerhouse fire zone. Most people hitched around it, but being stubborn, I went for it. The only good that came out of it was that I got to see the devestation of a fire followed by the drought:

You cant really see, but that is a dry lakebed and dead cottonwood trees.

After rejoining the pct, there was some really pleasant walking through grasslands with firs and oaks. Eventually things started feeling a little more like the tehachapis, which I could see off in the distance.

 

Day 19: mile 478, green valley fire station

It was noisy at the Acton KOA, so I awoke early and walked the 10 miles to Agua Dulce. The walk was beautiful, the Vasquez rocks being a highlight.

Passing under I-14:

Day 18: mile 444, Acton KOA

Today was a long hike through forest that I thibk was burnt in the 2009 Flintridge fire. I remember that fire because I was at Caltech  when it started. 

Today I saw my first mushroom and first douglas fite of the hike:

The wildflowers (lupine, paintbrush, etc) were very nice in the burnt areas.

Day 17: mile 412

Afte a noisy night at jimmy springs with all the front country campers, I enjoyed some views of the fog shrouded LA basin:

Next was the mountain yellow legged frog detour, which involved some road walking:

At the end of which I was in Burhart Canyon, a very sierra like canyon:

Later I hit the 400 mark, had some awesome trail magic: burger, beer, fruit, soda and candy. Alway walk near highways on Sundays!

Day 16: mile 384, little jimmy springs

Today was probably the hardest day physically of the trip. I walked 27 miles, mostly through snow. 

In the morning I hiked up blue ridge above the town of wrightwood.

Soon I hit snow. Much of the trail looked like this:

But the wasnt enough snow for skiing:

Eventually, I reached the summit of Baden Powell:

And hiking down to little jimmy springs:

Days 14 and 15: miles 342 and 357

On may 14th I awoke after a very windy night. My tarptent blew over in the night, as did my friend Tony's mountain laurel tarp. 

There was spiting rain for the first half of the day, followed by heavy rain for the second. I made it to cajon pass by 5, where I checked into the Best Western! I had a nice hot shower and washed all my clothes. 

I sampled all the fine dining establishments of cajon pass: mcdonalds, del taco, and subway. I resuppplied at shell, cheveron and 76 for the next 110 miles. 

After all these meals, i walked 15 miles up the ridge, gaining 4000 feet. I felt pretty good and made it to camp in only about 5 hours, although now my foot is hurting me, so i stopped and got in bed.