Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Day 25 - The big push

If there could be one word to describe today it would be WIND. Beginning about 2am the wind was in the treetops and when I hit the trail at 5:10am it had become a steady, and chilly breeze. 

One good thing about walking in the dark is that you can't see where you're going. Well in the micro sense yes but in the larger context no. So I just barreled along and when the gals passed me, as they always do, TC told me we were on a 3mph pace. Geeze Louise!
The sunrise. 

So the wind continued and as the day progressed it got stronger and stronger till finally, somewhere after the middle of the day, I was having to brace myself against sideways gusts or I would have gone down in an ungracious heap. 

I did learn something about myself, and the wind. Ongoing, relentless wind sets my nerves on edge. I stop thinking as clearly as necessary and my tendency is to try to avoid walking into it. So when I found myself at an unmarked junction with howling (really) wind coming up a cliff the trail appeared to follow, I couldn't make myself take the obvious path. I walked to the center of an adjacent road and pulled out my phone (with the Halfmile gps waypoints on it) and the app told me I wasn't on the trail. Finally I convinced myself I had to walk past that blast place and once I did, I found I was back on the trail. 
Snow. 

There are lots of scary things out here on the trail and one of the most dangerous is ones own mind. Good to remember, the next time I get scared of the wind. And just so you know, for you Girl Scouts out there, I sang "Where does the wind come from" song the entire day...over and over again. Kinda like a mantra. 

We made it out before out target time for my dear friends Chris and Lisa, who were meeting us at Inspiration Point and taking us into Wrightwood. Box pickup at the hardware store, stuff dropoff at Angela's parents cabin (thanks Helen and Gene) and we went to the Grizzly Cafe for piles of food. I don't think the hiker hunger has hit me yet but I did a respectable job. 

It is completely amazing that I can walk 19.5 miles and still have some energy left at the end of the day. Well, energy for eating food, if not much more. But still! I'm amazed. 

4 comments:

  1. Welcome to the Cajon Pass and the Santa Ana's. I live below the pass in Fontana so I know exactly what you mean about the wind. They were particularly nasty today, but are supposed to subside tomorrow. I'm going to be up at Little Jimmy next weekend; do you think there will be any PCTers there? I may have to bring some goodies with me! I'm really enjoying your journal! Be safe!

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    1. I imagine there will be folks coming through next weekend. How kind of you to offer goodies for folks. And thanks for following along.

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  2. Girl Scouts have pulled us though so many situations. Singing is such a great way to get ourselves out of our heads. So, did you figure out just where the wind comes from? It didn't come from Idyllwild. We're wondering where it comes from here too!

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