Days 13-16 Lions and Tiger and Bears, Oh My!

Descending off San Jacinto

Day 13-So after getting a late start off the top of San Jacinto, we headed off downhill. A long way down hill. 9702ft of vertical elevation loss to be precise. There was a couple of out good vistas, but largely this day consisted of trying not to get blown off the ridges with the 60mph gusts. We got to the bottom of the valley, and made camp by a water fountain. Like legitimately a water fountain in the desert. A guy came over and said we just missed some trail magic but he had extra oranges for us. Which was amazing. They are in season here in California and we get them a lot. Milage for the day 22miles. 

Hit 2 hundo

Mesa Wind Farm

Day 14- We knew we had a couple miles to cross on the valley floor, so we headed off at 5am, putting in around 10 miles by breakfast, stopping at the Mesa Wind Farm to eat. The day before we had lost Hummer as he headed off faster than us down hill. We saw him pass us at breakfast but he never saw us, ohwell, that's how the trail goes, hike your own hike. We set off with the mission to get to the Whitewater Preserve, a virtual oasis in the desert. We got to swim there, and eat some food in the safe at a picnic table. After that we pushed some more in the afternoon, making steady slow progress as the long descent the day prior had some nagging muscles in all of us. We rolled into camp just as light was getting low. Set up, ate and went to sleep immediately. Milage for the day 26 miles. 

Mt San Jacinto in the background

Very appropriate quote found at the Whitewater Preserve

Suddenly a grizzly bear

Day 15- We set off with another 5 am start....ok really about 0510 as I can be a little lethargic early on. Quickly catching and passing Groover and Pacecar who passed us when we were breaking camp. Entering the fire closure shortly and pushing 8 miles in before breakfast. I felt much better, holding a 4 mile/hr pace. Breakfast came and went, Myriam was still having some trouble with her right vastus medialis (inner part of your quad), so we waited until she got to the breakfast spot to make concrete plans for a camp site, and Tanner, Tags, and I headed off. Still no sign of Hummer since the day before. Still feeling pretty good the pace stayed high with Tags and I, Tanner hiking a little slower. we eventually saw the infamous private zoo, though it is for sale, so only saw a tiger and grizzly bear, still poor conditions for such animals. Then we pushed on, eventually hitting a section with a lot of loose sharp rocks, I had to chill out the pace as my shoes are wearing out and the pain was getting to me. We rolled into a really dope campsite with tonnes of room and had a big dinner with a bunch of people. And we caught up to Hummer! Rejoined we made plans to hike together in the AM. Milage for the day 24 miles. 

Tanner and Hummer crushing early morning miles

Day 16- All 5 of us rolled out of camp at a tad after 5, to crush the 10 miles remaining. We made short work of it, getting to the trailhead at 8am. Our hitch wife got us a ride after about 20 minutes and we headed to the local hostel. Met Sarge, got breakfast, did laundry, showered, resupplyed, and drank a bunch with the family and Pacecar and Groover. A good Nero. We decided to head out, even though everyone said a huge storm was rolling in. We figured we are men, and one Quebec "girl", we can take it. Milage for the day 9.9 miles.