May 28, 2017
Little Jimmy Camp to Sulphur Springs (Mile 407)
Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike: Day 23

Today was a late start, Alex and I stayed late at Little Jimmy to call my parents and coordinate snow gear, which we are getting sent to Tehachapi. The morning hike was an intense uphill nearly to the summit of another mountain, followed by a nervewracking frog closure on a no-shoulder mountain road. Sharp turns with zero visibility and Sunday fancy-car joyrides from LA whipping around corners. I decided to cut the closure by going off-road, making a detour of the detour by cutting through a ravine slash canyon, through brambles and across a surprise creek surrounded by poison oak. Better than getting creamed by a car, I figured. I popped out the other side and onto the end of the closure, confirmed by a few other thru-hikers passing when I jumped out of the bushes.

It feels like the Sierra Nevada are so close, and I'm just waiting for the real trail to begin. I've had a thought the past couple of days that I might like to be some kind of scout troop leader. Taking kids camping and teaching them how to do practical things would be really fulfilling.

The day ran very hot, but we were given plenty of breaks with trail magic. Melons delivered to a mountain top by an ultra-marathoner in a pickup truck. Hamburgers and beer by a couple of boy scout dads. The encouragement of reaching mile 400!

Alex and I had our first proper siesta today (one that actually involved falling asleep). The burgers came after the siesta and mile 400, at Glenwood Scout Camp, and I wrote a postcard to my little nephew Bryson.

The day ended at buggy, swarming Sulphur Springs. It's not yet as mosquito-ey as Minnesota (yet), though I hesitate to get too optimistic. Poodle dog bush is everywhere, jumping out from behind corners, and we're still not in the really infested area yet. I invented a lantern to write my journal by, involving my headlamp, a full water bottle, and a shoe. There have been many many day hikers—it's Memorial Day weekend and we're close to LA, meaning heaps of humans.