Saturday Mid-Day Update

Last night I stealth camped at Silverwood Lake, which basically means I was camped in a picnic area that was closed to any overnight activity. If it is like other picnic areas, anyway. The park ranger even drove by four times and either didn't see me or didn't care. Regardless, it was fantastic because I was so tired from the little sleep I got the night before. There were bathrooms, faucets, a covered area where I could pitch a tent and not worry about rain. All in all, one of the best campsites yet! Combine that with the fact that I got there early enough to eat, wash my clothes, and set up camp before dark and you've got yourself a perfect storm of awesomeness.

This morning I got up at 4:10 to get ready and hit the road by 5. It paid off too because I logged 14 miles by 10:51 am when I arrived at Cajon Pass. With three sections of the trail now down, I've hiked 344.7 miles. Next up are the San Gabriels close to the San Andreas Fault.

The hike this morning was very good. I tackled a 5-mile climb from predawn to about 8 am. Then it was downhill for a while before another small but steep climb and then the roughly 4-mile descent to Cajon Pass.

When I got to the pass, there was a sign indicating that McDonald's was only 0.4 miles away. It might as well have been a five-star restaurant! (I'm still here, by the way.) So far I've eaten a double quarter pounder, 10 McNuggets, a large fry, and about three large drinks. I'm about ready to get a milkshake now as soon as the line shortens up.

Tonight I'm headed to Sharpless Ranch Road for a dry camp. The hike into the San Gabriels begins with a 22-mile waterless stretch so I'm tackling about 10 miles tonight and the rest tomorrow morning with the idea that I'll avoid the worst heat of the day during my climb. Hopefully it works according to plan!

I have no idea what cell service is like in the San Gabriels, but my guess is that it will be limited at best. So if you don't see any updates between now and Tuesday evening, don't be alarmed.