Camp: 342
I couldn't believe it when I heard a rooster at dawn. I remembered the ranch below. The cows started to stir and the birds came out with their song as the morning dew began to evaporate and the sun rose into the sky.
I was excited. This was the day!
I'd finally be home. One more day- and I'd be sleeping in town with a full belly in the company of my family in a familiar place.
Home.
Just twenty miles left to the Cajon Pass. Then I'd get a few days with my family and loved ones. Like a mini vacation.
Honestly, Ive been looking forward to this the entire trip. It's been motivating. Make it three hundred miles, and I get to see my family and girlfriend.
I can't wait.
Today was going to be really fun for me because I knew this whole area we were in pretty well- I went to high school in the nearby town. What I didn't know was exactly how the trail goes from where it comes out by the Dam behind my grandparents house all the way down to the Cajon Pass- and I was interested to find out.
After leaving our camp perched high on the trail above the ranch, we made our way through rolling desert hills to Silverwood Lake. I'd driven by there a bunch of times, but it was cool to see it up close and not from inside a car. The trail was clear of downed trees and very well maintained. So nice on the feet.
From there it was uphill toward Cajon Mountain. I thought we were going to pass right by it- theres a really cool burned out fire tower there and I was excited to show Joe-but at the last minute we cut away and up another canyon that was more isolated. It was a long, sweaty slog uphill.
When we got to the crest of the canyon I could see exactly where we were. I had a view of the entire HWY 138 from Silverwood down to the Cajon Pass. We were taking the route of the powerlines- it looked like we'd be following those all the way down to the McDonalds, which was smack in the middle of the Pass.
We worked our way down through beautiful backcountry canyons that I'd driven through a hundred times or more. I was glad to be in familiar territory.
We hiked for two more hours down grassy hills that had eroded away on one side like they'd had a cross section taken. The only sound was the occasional horn of the nearby trains.
We had a good pace going and were motivated by food and the upcoming hospitality. We had smiles on our faces the whole time. I finally let myself think about the meals I was going to have.
Cheeseburgers. Pizza. Bacon. Riiiibbbsss.... :)
I think I had the next ten meals planned out. But one thing was for sure-As soon as I got to the Pass, I was going straight to McDonalds for a number two:
Two cheeseburgers, fries and a coke.
We'll call it an appetizer.
As the day was coming to an end and we only had an hour or two left I thought about seeing my family and what we'd talk about. What Id say. Everything I wanted to tell them about.
I didn't even know how to explain everything I've experienced when I finally see them.
It's been barely a month, but I feel like I've been gone three times that long. I feel like I've changed. I know I've made somewhat of an inner transformation. I feel more confident than I ever have. I feel free. I feel appreciative.
I take a lot less for granted, for sure.
People can say the trail doesn't change you, but it does. Maybe not all the time in an obvious way. But in only three hundred forty miles, I knew I was changing.
It was getting close; within three miles of our goal and as Joe likes to say, we were "cooking."
I see some guy up ahead on a ridge heading towards us. First thought was a day hiker, but this guy was moving way too fast. He had to be one of us. But a southbounder this soon?
"We've got company, two o'clock."
I let Joe know.
Running into people was always an entertaining event for us. There's often no one around for days at a time.
We get closer, and I'm keeping an eye on this guy. There's something odd about him. For some reason he went in the bushes and started watching us. I can't quite see what he's doing.
We come around the last bend, and I think I'm gonna meet another thru hiker, and it's my Dad!!
I can't help but grinning ear to ear as we come up on him, and he's snapping away with his camera.
"How did you know when we'd be here!?" I asked/yelled.
We hadn't had any signal all day. I wondered if he'd been waiting long.
Apparently he'd calculated how long it would take us to get from where I hit the SPOT transponder last night to the McDonalds based on our mileage and pace, and approximated when to intercept us.
Smart dude.
That was such a nice suprise, to get to hike the last couple miles in with my Dad. He kept trying to take pictures of us hiking naturally, but I couldn't stop smiling like a goofball. My Dad was psyched about the whole PCT trip, and that was so cool to me. He had gone out of his way to come meet us. And on top of it all we wouldn't even have to wait for a ride!
He let us know that hot showers and beds and a Pizza dinner would be waiting for us in Hesperia- it sounded like heaven.
We came out behind the Mickey D's just before 7:30pm. I felt like a million bucks. I wish my dad could do the whole thing with me. It was fun to catch up with him. We had a lot to talk about. It was the perfect way to end the hiking for the day.
As my feet touched the asphalt of the Cajon Pass it hit me.
I'd made it.
I'd succeeded in my personal goal of making it through the first section of this long journey. It had been huge for me, to make it to the Pass. I know my folks and everyone I knew was secretly watching and wondering...In this first three hundred forty two miles, would he sink or swim? Getting to the Cajon Pass was confirmation for not only myself but everyone I know that I knew what I was doing (id like to think that)
and that I could actually do this.
I'm swimming, people.
Swimming strong.
Ain't nothing gonna sink me. :)
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