Pacific Crest Quest

On Wednesday I drove myself and the horses back through Jawbone Canyon to pick up the trail again at mile 602, which is where I rode south from on Sunday. I was heading across Kelso Valley and toward Walker Pass, with a planned stopover Wednesday night in-between. It's a hot, dry, barren area, for the most part--which also makes it perfect for snakes. And that's when I spotted this patch-nosed snake slithering across the path. It's a little guy, but you can see the distin

On Saturday I had ridden to Highway 58 outside of Tehachapi, and on Sunday, since my mom had to return to Topanga, I thought it would be easiest to have her drop me and the horses further north, then ride back south to the highway again, where she could leave my truck and trailer before heading back home. I was planning to take a zero day or two at Crescent Moon Ranch, where we had been boarding the horses for the weekend, then pick up again on the trail on Wednesday, with t

After a surprise storm blew in on Friday, I woke up to find the Tehachapi mountains to the north of us covered in a blanket of snow. It's quite ironic that this section of the trail, which is notorious for being horrendously hot, was instead incredibly cold for me--and even more so that we would get a storm like this at the very end of April, almost the first of May, during a winter when we've had so little rain. To add to the challenge, the wind was blowing fiercely throug

After the snowstorm the night before, I headed into the Tehachapi mountains with fierce winds howling in our face. It was a long, cold 28 miles to the crossing of the PCT at Highway 58. #2014PCT

As I headed home after a long, tough ride on Saturday, this dramatic sunburst lit up the sky over the high desert. #2014PCT

On Friday I rode out of Hikertown, where I had spent the previous night in comfort thanks to Bob, our host there. A storm was predicted for the next day, but I thought i could beat it to the end of my day's ride, at mile 540, in the hills above the desert, where wind turbines dotted the ridges. The day before, my mom and I had cached water at a halfway point, expecting a hot, dry slog through the sand. But as the storm bore down, the day turned cool and blustery, and neith

This coming weekend is the annual festival in Antelope Valley for the California state flower--and the poppies were putting on a show. This day also marked the moment when I passed 500 miles on the trail . . . now that's something to celebrate! #2014PCT

On Thursday, April 24th, I left the Anderson's Casa de Luna, where they had so kindly taken care of me and Takoda and Shyla, and headed for Hikertown, where we would have another warm welcome. Since a lot of the trail was closed due to damage from a fire last year, we had to ride along Pine Canyon Rd., which ended up being narrow and dangerous for the horses due to the trucks and cars whizzing by. In the end, I had Mom pick me up in the horse trailer and we escaped the thjr

I have to add a word of gratitude for the many wonderful people who have helped me along the way, especially the amazing trail angels who open their homes and their hearts to those of us on the PCT. On Monday, April 21st, I arrived at the Saufley's in Agua Dulce--and promptly threw up. I had been riding for 18 miles from North Forks Ranger Station, feeling worse and worse; apparently, I had a case of food poisoning or managed to drink some bad water. Whatever it was, it di

I spent my Easter Sunday riding out of the Angeles Forest, heading towards Agua Dulce and a long awaited stay at the Saufley's; but first I was going to camp at North Forks Ranger Station with Takoda and Shyla. I had a new set of panniers (saving the bear resistant ones for the Sierras) and this was my first day using them. We got a late start due to some technical difficulties with the new equipment, but finally I was underway with the horses. #2014PCT