Letters From the Trail

Alex Writes:
May 10, 2008
Somewhere after Lost Valley Spring
mi. 121.5 8:29 pm

I've been motherfuckin sick. And not just some sore throat cold business, I'm talking, fever, chills, NO energy, sleep-all-day sick. That's what I did all day yesterday. Sleep. But I seem to be over the worst of it. I woke up this morning @ 8 and was rarin' to go. We hiked out of Warner Springs at 10 am and covered approximately 13 miles. Not too bad.

There's a lot I haven't written about. Like the blooming cacti we've been seeing for the past 60 miles, bright pink, yellow and green. Or the amazing grasslands we wandered through right before Warner Springs. They made me want to gallop a horse endlessly across them. The ever present equine excrement along the trail made me smile in particular, because it seems likely that someone has done just that.

We also discovered that the furry red ants we've been seeing aren't actually ants. They're wasps, and apparently these wasps have one of the most painful venoms. Good thing we didn't feel the need to pet them.

At Barrel Springs, our camping spot the day before we got into Warner Springs, we met Karen and Tex. I like them alot. They were camping nearby and came over to introduce themselves, claiming they'd heard of us, that we were the ones with small packs and speedy legs. I don't know who they were talking to, because our packs seem sorta heavy, and our pace is not really fast.But anyhow, Tex is real into stars, he's got a telescope at home that he sets up every night, says Karen, and he's got a starchart he's packing and he wants to show me some constellations.

I'm also not talking alot about Warner Springs. Mostly because I spent most of our 48 hr stay there in a bed, sweating every ounce of water out of me while shivering uncontrollably. Not Fun. Glad I was in a bed. The hot spring pool was incredible, though and it was fun to use the internet. Folks were real nice. I'd never been in a resort before, and it was a bit extravagant? Crazy? I don't know what word to use. I'm going to sleep now. The Moon is waxing and looks real pretty.

Alex

May 11, 2008
Somewhere off of a dirt road
"Sandy Deep Road" says the data book.
Mile 142.7 8:32 pm

The last couple days have been HOT. I can't tell how hot because I don't have a thermometer but my internal organs say motherfuckinHot. So hot that my standard liter/5 miles was nowhere near enough, and I was really thirsty by the time we made it to the spring about 2:30 pm. We camped out there for a couple hours, talked with other hikers, made some food, I mended a shirt, and rehydrated. We did 20 miles today, and I'm tired. We'll hit Palms to Pines highway tomorrow , and the Paradise Cafe for some grub, and hopefully find out if the remaining 30 + miles to Idyllwild is closed because of a recent fire, or if they've opened it.

The backs of my hands are burnt and now their sense of temp. is messed up. They feel icy right now.

Alex

Transcriber's Note: There was a squished tick indicated at the bottom of the page.