Lake Morena to Cibbet Flats - 12 miles
So I learned something new last night. Dogs don't sleep, or at least they take turns barking all night long in an echo chamber of a valley. I think they may have teamed up with the turkeys as well. There was almost NO sleep to be had last night....
But anyways. Clint and I started out the day with out new found friends, Molly, Steven, and Max. Molly and Steven had taken a zero the day before after doing the first 20 miles in one day.
After kind of getting of track and walking an extra quarter mile in an insanely dog infested neighborhood, all of these dogs barked incessantly by the way, we were off on the trail once again.
Its funny when you hike with people you go through these routine questions about where they're from, why they're out here, how much is in their pack, and so many more. But just the sheer amount if time spent with people, even if only for a day, yields such amazing results. A feeling like you really know them pretty well in only a short span. Now, one's trail self can be different from one's usual self, but for all the purposes of our trips, one's trail is who one is for the next couple months anyways. After a leisurely morning, we stopped for a blister check and a snack under a tree. A couple people stopped along the way to break too. Andrew, Thor, Ferntoe, Elise, and Sky, to name a few.
After some more enjoyable morning hiking we arrived at boulder oaks camp ground for water and lunch. After getting situated Clint suggested we join the party under a big oak tree near by. It was there that we all met for the first time. Porter, Sammie, Mark, Andrew, Elise, Sky, and the rest if us. It was a nice sit down with a good bit of laughing and conversation. Somewhere in there Sammie asked her fiancé Porter for a tea bag. As he reaches for the wet used tea bag in his drink she exclaims, ”no, a new one!” but it is too late, the wet bag is airborne. She defends herself and it smacks her in the hand inches from her face. It was at this time that porter earned his trail name, T-Bag.
I'm not sure if it was official, unofficial, or what. But we all decided that our goal for the night was Cibbet Flats. Hiking onward in the heat if the so cal afternoon we trudged up this exposed hill all afternoon. Only speaking for myself, my muscles didn't hurt, I wasn't short of breath, it was just sooooo damn hot! Mab oh man was it hot... The kinda hot where your clothes are soaked but a refreshing ridgeside wind can't ever dry them and your salty sweat burns your eyes constantly. Hot hot hot. But it was ok for most of us. Mark had seen better days, tired, in quite a bit of dark clothing, and a little peeky in my opinion.
When we arrived at the highway crossing 4 miles from camp there was a man, or I should say, angel, named David. Beer, wine, snacks. It was here that we found some joy be for making those last beautiful four miles into camp.
The campsite was at the bottom of almost a mile of old forest road, but when Clint, Molly, and I arrived, we found our new friends there! A fellow named Dan was there who payed for the campsite. A retied firefighter I do believe, and one hell of a great guy. We would be leapfrogging with him the next 4 days, at least from the time of this posting.
Down at camp everyone was a little more tired and a little more quiet than at lunch, which was to be expected. We ate dinner, conversed and enjoyed each others company. Mark was sick, puking, not able to eat much. Although he was exhausted he had made it to the campground. However, he would leave the trail. Perhaps he will return later. Hopefully..
As we all lay in our bags, we continue to joke and laugh after dinner. We are all dead tired and it's certainly bedtime even though it must be earlier than 9pm.
As I lay under the stars for the third night in a row in place I am unfamiliar with, I begin to have a feeling of home. This group of young people who has seemingly met by fate is more than I had ever hoped for on this trip. As our camping neighbors play classic tunes like fleetwood mac, van Morrison, and more. I fall asleep a more than happy man. This. Is. Amazing.
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