• In the distance, the mountains I will be climbing next "Big Bear" rangeI slowly descend back into desert drynessMount San Jacinto, where I come fromThis snake had probably eaten a lizard in the hole and couldn't get out anymore when I touched him wAbsolutely gigantic wind farms document; this valley always has windLooking back at San JacintoIncredible wind gusts bowl me over again and again

    25km and 1800m decent

    May 26, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    Today we come off the San Jacinto mountain range down into the desert plain of Palm Springs to then go up the other side into the Big Bear mountains.
    But I am exhausted. The last 4 days have been the most strenuous of my whole life and I need a break. But first we have to descend 1800m and walk 25 km. What initially looks like a three hour hike is actually a 10hour hike in extremely rocky terrain and with a gale force wind whith gusts so strong that I am thrown off the trail twice, thank god in the direction of the mountain. I can hardly walk a straight line. Once again a superlative. I have never experienced such a strong wind. I am sick of superlatives, I want a normal trail again!
    Again, totally exhausted and 10 hours later I arrive at the foot of the mountain hoping to pitch my tent. NO CHANCE! The wind is so strong that my tent would not last 5 minutes. I simply have to get to Cabazon where there is a hotel. The highway is 5 km away. I start walking but am thrown over several times. I am on the verge of tears. Furious, exhausted, sick and tired. Then a car suddenly appears. A toothless Mexican with a warm heart drives me the 15km to the hotel that was recommended to me at 90 dollars a night. At the reception I fall over. 470 USD per night! It is long weekend. I am about to scream!
    Many phone calls later, and 40 taxi kms later I arrived at a motel directly next to the highway (20m) .
    The rest of the night I listened to honking trucks!
    When is this going to end?
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