PCT 2023 - Day 14 - Solo night hike

The one with the solo night hike, the snake and real food!

📍 Location: MM 142.4 to Idyllwild

🏔️ Elevation: 4792 ft
🥾 I actually walked: 12 miles
💰 Money: $43 at Paradise Cafe, $10 for hitch, hotel room £170, $25 for dinner.
⛑️ Health: Mentally I’m strong but physically I’m a bit beaten up and need some rest.

☀️ Weather: Again, in the 30’s but I have a plan!

🍲 Food: Twix bar for breakfast, then at Paradise Cafe I had the biggest breakfast ever of hash browns, 3 eggs, sausage followed by biscuits and gravy with coffee for 2nd breakfast. Then I had cherry pie and ice cream for a snack. Tonight I had the biggest chicken caesar salad you’ve ever seen. I was a piggy but it felt so good!

💤 Sleep: Fell asleep, exhausted around 7pm. Woke up at 2.30am.

🐍 Snake count: 6! One slid right over my foot today! (See long version below)

👨 People update: I have new people in my little book now. TJ from the US was so kind to me today and shouted me a cherry pie.

LEARNINGS:-
Today I learned that waking up super early is my way of getting through this hot desert!

THE LONG WINDED VERSION:-

🔦 3.40am - I woke up around 2.30am and snoozed until 3am. I then started packing up and was thankful that the only person around was a little way down the hill. By 3.40am I’m off!! My head torch is bright and the air is cool. This time I’m watching out for scorpions and tarantulas rather than snakes. I’ve got three miles to go before catching up with the rest of the gang. I’m feeling determined, although still a little bit weak. I have 12 miles to Paradise Cafe and civilisation, which means a shower and a hotel room. Proper food and the thought of a real bed is very motivating.

🌙 4am - It’s very dark but my head torch is leading the way. It’s a bit surreal walking on my own in the dark but I don’t feel scared. Well, maybe a little bit scared when I start hearing the coyotes howling, but for the most part it’s very peaceful. The sky is lit up by a white streak which I assume is the Milky Way, and the stars are so bright. I’m loving this!

💧 5.22am - I made it to Mary’s although there is no water here. I snap a photo. People are sleeping so I trudge on. I have about 2 litres left from yesterday so it should be fine. Paradise Cafe is just 6.5 miles ahead and I can do a good pace in the dark. Time to crack on! I eat a twix bar to keep me going and out electrolytes into my water.

🦯 5.30am - These climbs are tough so I retrieve my tent pole from my pack and use that as a second walking pole to help me up the hills. Note to self: buy another walking pole when you get to town!

The sky is turning pinky purple now and it’s stunning. I’m still out here on my own and I’ve not seen a soul all morning. It’s light enough for me to find my way without a head torch so I turn it off.

🏕️ 6.03am - Found them! There is my tramily who are packing up and getting ready to hit the trail. They were all worried about me and DinkyDi runs over to me and gives me such a big hug. The royals are there as are Handyman, Kodak, Starfox and Jesse. It feels good to be reunited. I’ve walked 3.6 miles already and it’s only 6am.

🥾 7.50 - DinkyDi will not leave my side. We’ve been walking for a while now and she noticed that I’m still a bit wobbly on my feet. She makes me stop every 10 minutes to drink water and have a rest. It’s a long slog and now the sun is starting to hit. “What’s that?” We see a 150 miles sign made of stones at the side of the trail. We high five each other and I can’t believe we’ve walked that far! For me, only 552 more miles to go! For everyone else it’s a lot more than that!

🐍 8.20am - Ed, the sweary Scot would be proud of the colourful language I used when a frigging black snake literally came out of the bush at speed and slid over my right foot and into the other bush! WTF! I think my fear of snakes is now well and truly conquered!

🍳 9.05 - Paradise Cafe baby. Thanks to Jane & Lucy for my biscuits and gravy. And Emma for my lovely huge eggs sausage and has brown breakfast. I’m now stuffed. The endless refill coffee is fab! I paid for DinkyDi’s breakfast to pay it forward.

🚗 10.52am - A guy called “less is more” fits six people into his Subaru and takes us to the quaint town of Idyllwild. It’s a 20 min journey at $10 euros each.

We all scatter when we get to town. Some are heading for the campsite, others have a room booked and are sharing. I’ve been on the go since crap o clock and my brain is a bit foggy. I click onto Booking.Com and find a cabin that is not too far away. I need a bed and a hot shower with some chill time by myself. All booked, although I can’t actually check in until 4pm.

🫖 1308 - I’m wandering around town with some fellow hikers but I really don’t want to drink alcohol. I make my excuses and find a lovely little tea shop. I spot a face that I recognise and TJ calls me over to his table. He is in his late 60’s and is from the US. He is also a PCT hiker and I’ve leapfrogged him a few times on the trail. We chat and I add him to my little book of hikers. I order tea and a slice of warm cherry pie and ice cream. I went to pay but TJ has beaten me to it and had paid for my pie. Thanks 🙏 TJ.

🛌 2pm - I risk checking into my cabin early and it all worked out. The cleaner was just finishing as I arrived. A big shout out to Bethany, Lou & Mark. This one was on you guys and it was pure heaven. Thank you so much. I have a big bed, a lovely hot shower, a little kettle and Netflix!!

I sleep…. And then sleep some more!

🍽️ 6pm - Dinner time! I walk back into town to meet up with the crowd. Catching up with people I’ve not seen for ages like Joey, Sarah and Steph. I stuff myself silly on a huge chicken Caesar salad and a Heineken zero. I get everyone to do a Mexican Wave for my YouTube video which was fun, then leave them all to enjoy a few more drinks as I head back to my cabin.

Tomorrow is a much needed rest day and then we head out into the mountains for our first taste of snow!Read more