Desert Highway

What goes up must come down

• Physics

Day 4

After my brutal ascent of Mount Laguna, I planned on taking a proper zero day to recover my feet... Instead I did a cheeky 12 miles on that day instead. Camping out of the town was a little weird for the next 10 miles and the next water source was 12 miles out. After more than 24 hours of rest my blister was feeling pretty good, and with the Compede on I didn't feel a thing.

Thankfully the steep ascent up Mount Laguna is paid off with a nice cruise-y downhill section that lasts pretty much the whole 35 mile stretch to the next town of Julian. The trail was well maintained and I truly felt like I was speeding down a highway. My whole 12 mile hike was beautiful, I hiked through sunset and got to camp right as it was getting dark. I tried cowboy camping for the first time, it was not for me. I worried that a snake or spider would come I to my sleeping bag for warmth and that threw off my sleep for the night.

Day 5

I pushed for my first 20+ mile day so that I would end up close to scissors crossing to get into Julian nice and early for a nero (near-zero) day. The 20 miles was overall very comfortable since it was all down hill from the mountain, however coming down from the first water stop was brutal.

The first water for the day was about 10 miles ahead, it was a water tank with cool water and sat right on a shady ridge. It was the perfect place to take a break, and way off in the distance I could see Mount San Jacinto (foreshadowing). After my break, there was a steep descent into a valley that brutalized my knees. Right after the steep descent was a dirt road, one of the steepest climbs so far on the hike. Thankfully it wasn't a far walk, but spiritually it felt like miles, especially since I did it in the midday heat.

After the steep uphill, I was cruising for the rest of the day. I pushed a few miles at the end of the day to get past the last little uphills on my way to Julian, that way I would only have downhill steps the next morning. I spent the night up on a ridge that was supposed to be windy. I made sure my tent was well secured, this trip is my first time with a trekking pole tent and I was worried I would blow away 🌬️. It actually ended up being my best night of sleep on trail so far, even better than my night in the hike hostel on Mount Laguna.

Day 6

I walked my remaining three or four miles. The last couple miles were on a flat field fully exposed to the sun, I was glad it was the first thing I did in the morning while it was still cool with a nice breeze carrying the cold air. At scissors crossing there was a cooler of cold drinks and lawn chairs. I sat down and talked to Stitch, who I had met the day before, and then got ready to hitch for the first time on trail. As I was walking up to the road, a legend named Fossil Lady came and asked if I needed a ride. She has been stocking a water cache at the crossing every day and shuttles hikers back and forth all day, she already had a few hikers loaded up but let me squeeze in for a trip to town.