Los Tules

The one with the meadows, Eagle Rock and a bucket shower.

📍 Location: MM101 to MM114.9

🥾 I actually walked: 15.8 miles
💰 Money: $8 on drinks in the garage
⛑️ Health: Blisters are healing nicely. With exception to being extremely tired I feel good. No other aches and mentally strong.

☀️ Weather: It was in the high 30’s today. Taking a siesta is working really well.

🍲 Food: Snickers, tortilla with Tuna and air cheese (crunchy cheese), then a surprise for dinner as I forgot to label the dehydrated meal. It tastes like rice and chilli but no meat (not sure). I did try python jerky today. Yuck!

💤 Sleep: Bloody awful! Cowboy camping is not for me. The frogs kept me awake for a lot of the night and a Chinese man called Super Marion decided to call his family around 11am. He woke the whole camp with his laughing and chatter and it went on for nearly an hour!

🐍 Snake count: Still 4.

LEARNINGS:-

Do not confront people in the US as they have have a gun.

THE LONG WINDED VERSION:-

😢 6.10am - Both Disco Daddy and I cowboy camped last night for the first time. This basically means that we had no tent, just our sleeping mats and sleeping bags to keep us warm. I was hoping that this would solve my overheating issue at night, but it was probably the worse night I’ve had on trail so far. The Chinese man chatting to his mates, the frog chorus, hearing others go to the loo was not helping! I couldn’t find my AirPods and the weather got chilly! At 2am I touched my sleeping quilt and it was soaking wet with condensation. Yep, it was miserable night.

🇨🇳 7.12 - I set off on my own with Disco daddy, DinkyDi, Amber & Harry following behind me. As soon as I’m walking my bad mood lifts and I realise how beautiful this hike is. It’s very different terrain today. I’m walking through vast lush green meadows that have a sprinkling of orange poppys everywhere. Cows are in the distance and it sort of reminds me of home. I hear a noise behind me and it’s the Chinese Man called Super Mario who smiles at me, and says hello as he zooms by. A few mins later he turns around and runs back down the trail towards me and hands me his phone. “Photo” he declared in his strong Chinese accent. Then he does a pose for the camera. I snap away and he grabs his phone back and says thank you, then goes back to collecting mushrooms for extra energy (super Mario joke).
My head is playing tricks on me today and I feel a pang of home sickness. The cows, the meadows the lovely views. I need to speak to my husband and daughter soon. I’ll try and get in touch later.

💦 7.56 - First creek and I top up with water. 4 miles in, still on my own. I wonder where the guys are?

🦅 9.10 - Wow! I’ve been wanting to see this iconic rock for a long time… Eagle rock is fascinating. Disco Daddy has joined me and we take photos for each other (see pictures). Disco Daddy calls his wife to say hi and I wonder if I have data to being able to FaceTime Matt & Rachel. I send them a text “are you in? Can I call?”. I quick answer back and yes!! I go into WhatsApp and video call them. They are sitting in the living room with the two dogs and we chat about all sorts of things. I introduce them to Disco Daddy and show them Eagle Rock. They tell me stuff about home and I can see Alfie & Ava (dogs). I miss home so much and feel better as I finish the call. Disco Daddy and I retrieve our wet sleeping bags and lay them in the sun whilst we wait for Di, Amber & Harry. Within 15 mins the others had arrived and our sleeping bags were bone dry. The sun is now at 28 degrees. We have four days worth of food and three litres of water in our packs. It’s hard work and slow going.

🥾 11.17 - I’m now behind the group as we head into Warner Springs to collect our packages from the post office. Or, I was behind but then a trail Angel called “off trail” picked me up in his SUV and drove me to the small town which was just a mile away and I arrive the same time as Di & Disco Daddy. There is a petrol station selling drinks and food as well as the post office, toilets and picnic benches. There are a number of hikers here and I know all of them. It’s good to catch up. We stay here for about an hour and then “Off Trail” drives us another mile or so to the local community centre where we can take our siesta, charge our electronics and have a hot bucket shower. This shower system is such fun! You grab a big bucket, fill it with hot water and then grab a jug. They have little cubicles designed like showers. All clothes removed and then you grab the jug and start scooping and chucking water over yourself. Omg! I’m in heaven as it’s such a luxury to see all the grime poor from my body. Disco is in the cubicle next to me making oh.. ah noises as well. Lol. Meanwhile, Dinky Di is chatting up the locals. A tall guy with a long white beard and a Native American look is talking to Di. I sit down next to him and listen to his stories which are all rather spiritual. We are both mesmerised as he has a way about him. He closes his eyes as he is telling a story as if he is reliving it. When he announces that it’s time to go back to work, I ask if I can snap his photo for my PCT year book. Ed looked flattered and when I printed out his photo it was as if I was showing him something magical. What a lovely character and a real highlight of the day.

🐶 16.12 Siesta done and now it’s time to hit the trail again. We have about 4 miles before camp. As we are exiting the parking area we spot a guy with a backpack and a dog (also wearing a backpack). I say to Di “surely he is not hiking the trail in this heat with a dog?”. Di looks really upset as we approach the man. The dog is panting hard. “You can get shoes for dogs you know”, Di said to the man. “He’s just spent ages in the creek” said the man, with a “I’m not discussing anything attitude”.

As we continued walking I couldn’t help but voice my opinion. That poor dog. Di was visibly upset as well but recalled something that she learned just before her hike from Scout and Frodo’s. Di repeated it to me. “You will see things that upset you on trail to do with animals or dogs. Remember that some people over here carry a gun and it’s just not worth the risk”, she had a point but it didn’t make it easier to walk away.

🌸 17.55 Wow! I’m in my element as I’m crossing rivers, hopping on stones, climbing gates and singing through a forest that is in bloom. There are bluebells and these little white flowers everywhere. It’s gorgeous here and so different from the high desert that we’ve been walking through.

🏊‍♀️ 18.50 - We finally see Amber & Harry at camp. They have been here for around an hour or so and have had a swim in the river. It’s a perfect site and Di, Disco and so get yo work to set up our tents.

🌹 19.10. We are all eating dinner, overlooking the river. Afterwards we have a “Roses and thorns” sharing session. Your best experience today and your worse experience today.

Today has been amazing. Thanks for joining me on this journey. See you tomorrow.Read more