As they say, extend your hiking poles and go, go, I had drank my fill at the river, so had 4 liters left to start the downhill. I drank 1 and started down at 6:05 worried about what 7k in elevation loss, and the legendary desert heat would do to me
6:05 start. Earliest yet for me, but I really need to be starting by 5 when and if I hit the true desert (maybe in 2 days)
I took a ton of photos, but won’t include them all. It was cool seeing the wind farms of in the distance, knowing you were hiking right to them. in real life maybe 4 miles away, but with the twists and turns of the PCT, it was right there.
And by the way, when all the guide books say you go “straight down” for 7k in elevation, they are lying. The PCT does nothing “straight”. Lol. We meander everywhere, If the PCT designed your house, you would never get to a bathroom on time.
How can I smile knowing 15 miles of knee strain is coming?
Hopefully the above photos show the wind farms. I hike thru them when I continue.
Quickly we went from Tahoe type trees to desert chaparral. The shade was gone.
Fortunately, today was not a hot or windy day other than a cool breeze at times. and the path was semi mild. Lots and lots of easy gentle even paths. Some knee killing rock steps, but mostly ok.
I knew I had to start early, in case the heat came. I did get in about 9 miles by 10 o’clock (I will need to start by 5 and have perfect conditions to get the hikers goal of “10 by 10”. Ten miles hiked by 10 o’clock,)
This is typical, and nice.
Just keeps going down, down, down. And the windmills do not get closer.
Must be important. It’s a sign.
Mile 200!!
I actually had enough water to wash and put a couple bandaids on my toes. By 11:00 it was clear it was not going to be a scorcher day, but it was semi hot. If this had been Ben a hot day, it would have been problematic. I just kept thinking of the water at mile 205 (not that I needed it, but I could have, and it meant I was only 4 miles from the freeway. (That almost never is a positive thing) A 20 mile day is hard for me, and I knew I had a difficult travel situation to get to my hotel from the trail.
And here it is, the faucet. I will never look at a park faucet the same way again. Met “rescue” here, a nice young lass who had to be helped from water cache mile 91 due to heat issues. Will not hike from 1 to 5 now every day. Very smart of her. I met her at 2. I hiked on. Not smart of me.
Brutal boring last 4 miles. Paved roads then flat desert sand
Got to the 10. Section. Complete.
Now the hard adventure. How to get to Banning, the Hampton, my hotel. 10 backed up. Uber won’t take rides. I’m in the middle of no where. My hotel receptionist, Silvia offers to pick me up after work in an hour. With traffic that would cost her 2 hours. What an angel.
A Bitcoin expert gives me a ride to the casino in cazabon and Uber accepts me and takes me to the hotel. After a shower, Uber takes me to Applebee’s and manny treated me well. Ashly after hearing my PCT story says I am like Forest Gump. I want to think it’s cause I just go, but I suspect it’s become I am not that bright (why else would I sleep in the wild )
Great end to a tough day. Will zero tomorrow, and maybe the next and decide how and if to proceed. Feel great, but wow am I sore. But still no real blisters or issues.
Tom hikes the PCT 
Yay Tom! The I-10!!! Good for you! You are amazing! You just keep going and going. Love your write-ups – interesting and you are so funny! Love ‘em! Pictures are great too. Those trail pics where the trail goes on and on and on! Yikes! Keep up the good work!
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Great adventure Tom! Keep it up and hopefully you are able to keep any drama to a minimum. Who would of thought a year and a half ago you’d be where you are now. Can’t imagine how it’s measured up to your expectations.
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