Day 18

Trail miles: 19.8

Total: 213.4

Well, I don’t know how, but the wind got worse!! There was at least a mile section of trail where we had to walk into a constant 30 mph (I’m just guessing) wind tunnel. Out of all the troubles I imagined on the PCT, I didn’t think wind would be the thing to make me go crazy. At least that was the worst of it. At camp I am trying a new pitch for my tent so hopefully I don’t have to worry about it collapsing at the slightest wind. I’m too worried about cowboy camping with my blowup sleeping pad and all the spiky plants in the desert.

We walked just shy of 20 miles again and hit the 200 mile mark! My feet do not hurt as bad as the last 20 mile day so things might be getting better, who knows. It is difficult sometimes to think how many more miles are left but I have to keep reminding myself to look at things in smaller chunks or I will overwhelm myself. At least I can listen to podcasts when things get boring or my spirits are low, like today doing a 12 mile downhill switchback section on the same mountain. At the bottom of the hill, we filtered water and ate lunch. I tried to charge my phone, but yesterday I dropped my charging block, phone, and charging cable in the last water source, so it was lucky only the cable was broken. But it meant going into Cabazon to buy a new one. Luckily I found this out only a mile away from where hikers usually hitch. Brad was already planning on going into town to pick up a few things, so we set off together. In the parking lot, a truck was waiting and asked if we needed a ride. We threw our packs in the bed of the truck and hopped in. I think they were curious about the PCT and were there checking it out, because they asked where the trail went next. They offered to drive us around the city to where we needed to go and then bring us back!! I can’t believe we keep lucking out with such generous people. They even let me stop at In n Out to take back with me on the trail! Makes up for a lousy day in some aspects. Back on trail, we stopped for some trail magic under the I 10 bridge, which was a perfect spot to hide from the wind. Then we set off to the Mesa Wind Farm for camp.