22 Miles

Cowboy camped (without shelter). Hit the path early. Winding through pine forests in the 5000 ft range. The trail, covered in sand, pushed up from the Anza-Borrego desert that sits a few thousand feet below – that other world a panorama throughout the day.

Stopped for breakfast and answered the why questions more than once. Pushed on as the clouds spoke of bad things to come. More and more cloud shadows tried to make the landscape look ominous. But the insistent wind always pushed them on. My afternoon nap was in the sun and that was the last light of the day. The pushing wind was also bringing.

Arrived at my destination campsite around mile nineteen. It was plopped in the middle of a wind tunnel. It was only 3:00 and the site lacked charisma. Grabbed some water out of a tank that said “Humans only.”

The rain started. As my coach once said, “Walk it off,” and, on this trail, that is the only solution, so I pushed on. The trail kept dropping, kept getting warmer and making me grin more. Twelve hundred feet and four miles later, I hit the bottom of a canyon and set up shop.

Reptile count – new reptiles seen:
1. One horny toad lizard, aka the ant slayer
2. One alligator lizard

Set up my tarp for the first time. Fired up my wood burning stove. Cooked Asian Delight and settled in for the night.

The first gut revolt hit at two a.m. and on through the night the battle raged by moonlight. The Assblaster saw much service. Many cat holes were dug. A songfection by the Cranberries entered my head. Upon return from one skirmish, I adjusted the sole tarp pole violently and it promptly snapped. The rain chose that moment to return. Propped up the roof the best I could with my pack. Failed trying to repair pole with chopsticks and duct tape.

Woke at 5:00 wrapped in wet tarp and had a laugh. Walk it off. And so I did.

Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde

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