Day 28: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

May 28, 2015 Messenger Flats Campground (430.6) to Tentsite near Vasquez Rocks (452.3) 21.7 PCT miles today 468 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 3,549 ft, – 7,378 ft 9 days down, only 3 to go! Since setting out from Big Bear, Pickles and I have had one thing on our mind…get to Hikertown by…

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Day 27: Feel the Burn

May 27, 2015 Tentsite near Sulphur Springs Trail Camp (408.1) to Messenger Flats Campground (430.6) 22.5 PCT miles today 446.3 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 5,225 ft, – 4,377 ft I’m about to bash the desert a bit, so I feel like first I should offer a disclaimer. First of all, Pickles and I…

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Day 26: Not Worth the Weight

May 26, 2015 Islip Saddle (386.2) to Tentsite near Sulphur Springs Trail Camp (408.1) 17.9 PCT miles today, 4.9 Alternate miles today 423.8 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 5,055 ft, – 6,468 ft Another day of hiking. We didn’t know to expect such a difficult day, and after the big climb yesterday, we figured…

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Day 25: A Peak Experience

May 25, 2015 Hwy 2-Wrightwood (369.5) to Islip Saddle (386.2) 16.7 PCT miles today 401 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 4,061 ft, – 4,552 ft Today was another great day on trail. We woke up this morning, packed up, and were ready to head out and start putting in the miles by 8am. At…

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Day 24: Generosity Abounds

May 24, 2015 (5th Re-Ration – Wrightwood) Campsite on ridge above Cajon Pass (352.0) to Hwy 2-Wrightwood (369.5) 17.5 PCT miles today 384.3 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 5,211 ft, – 3,086 ft Days that end at the home of a kind and generous trail angel are always the most memorable. Today we were…

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Day 23: Worth the Wait

May 23, 2015 Silverwood Lake Campground (329.0) to Campsite on ridge above Cajon Pass (352.0) 23.0 PCT miles today, 1 non-PCT mile today 366.8 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 5,419 ft, – 3,714 ft Wow, what a fun and exhausting day. We woke up this morning with one thing on our minds…today we would…

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Day 22: Third Storm’s A Charm

May 22, 2015 Bridge over Deep Creek (310.3) to Picnic tables past Hwy 138 (329.7) 19.4 PCT miles today 342.8 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 3,156 ft, – 2,901 ft Today was a very challenging day, but not really because of the hiking. That was in the background, with all its accompanying aches and…

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Day 21: Forming a Habit

May 21, 2015 1st Crossing of Holcomb Creek (285.7) to Bridge over Deep Creek (310.3) 24.6 PCT miles today 323.4 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 2,110 ft, – 5,592 ft I’ve heard it said that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Assuming that’s true, we are now officially in the habit of…

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Day 20: Thinking On My Feet

May 20, 2015 HWY 18-Big Bear Lake (266.0) to 1st Crossing of Holcomb Creek (285.7) 19.7 PCT miles today 298.8 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 2,272 ft, – 2,576 ft If there is one thing that us thru-hikers have plenty of, it is time. We hike for anywhere from 8 to 12 hours a…

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Day 19: A Zero in Big Bear

May 19, 2015 HWY 18-Big Bear Lake (266.0) 0 miles today 279.1 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 0 ft, – 0 ft There is nothing that could have made today’s “zero” any more perfect. We spent the morning getting a bunch of errands and chores done, but took a nice long break for breakfast…

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