Me 2007-05-15 Reaching I-15
May 15th, 2007
I’m on the edge of the Mojave desert so until further notice just assume my days are hot and dry. To avoid it on this particular day, and reach Subway for lunch I left the picnic area at 4:40 am and walked under starlight where I could. The trail from Cleghorn Campground* was a little overgrown but still there. A recent change to the guide book said something about it being closed due to a mudslide but I didn’t see any sign of that.
A few hours later as I perched on a rock to eat my second breakfast (a Probar from the hiker box in Big Bear) Scatman came past and we talked as we walked our way to Interstate 15. That’s nearly 14 miles before 10 am. To celebrate we walked even further up the tarmac, past McDonald’s and on to Subway. mmmmm fresh salad.
The others from the picnic area arrived over the next few hours and we made the pavement next to the only pay-phone around there a hiker pit. Some really dodgy guy tried to sell me a Blackberry (mobile email device) and I took the chance to order new shoes. By the time I swap in Agua Dulce my current pair will have done about 600 miles including training.
After organising a ride down from Highway 2 that we’ll get tomorrow night, Vortex, Blue Sky, Scatman and I headed back to the trail, negotiated the long dark underpass and the following swamp to start the 6000 ft climb to Wrightwood.
*where we cleverly slept next to picnic tables rather than on the grass where the sprinklers came on at 10 pm
More photos of this day’s journey can be found at Idyllwild to Wrightwood
May 18th, 2007 at 8:47 am
Getting up at 4.40am!?! That’s the most motivation I’ve ever seen for a Subway sandwich! Good to hear you can treat yourself to these moments of civilisation though Craig – it’s not all campfires and dried foods!