May 9, 2016
Chariot Canyon to Scissors Crossing
+ Hitch into Julian for candy and free not-pie
Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike: Day 5

First day sticking my thumb out to hitch a ride. First day sleeping under a highway bridge. My blisters are gnarly but getting better, my big toenails are getting blacker. I ran the trail almost the whole time I hiked today, which means I made nearly 15 miles in less than 4 hours!

Got to Julian via two guys who were on their way back to California after testing parachutes. What kind of parachutes, you ask? Re-entry parachutes. Yeah, like the kind NASA uses for re-entry to earth. Except they're not 'like the kind' NASA uses for re-entry, they ARE what NASA uses for re-entry. They had just spent a week at the Yuma proving grounds. They're testing parachutes that bring spacecraft back to earth, and are getting ready for Orion, the next planned flight, scheduled for 2018.

We went to the famous pie shop and, since I don't like pie, they gave me chocolate ice cream and two peanut butter cookies. The only logical thing to do in this situation is to make an ice cream sandwich, so I made a peanut-butter-and-chocolate ice cream sandwich. Now, everyone who gave me shit about not liking pie can watch me eat the best idea ever.

Stopped at Carmen's for a free beer and hug, and met a girl who had been waylaid due to unexpected foot growth. You see, when you're in the desert, your feet can swell up because it's hot and, science, and you're just starting to backpack. Well, Emma had been stuck at Carmen's for four days because her feet swelled from a size 7.5 to a SIZE TEN. Nobody believed her, but after four days waiting at Carmen's, her delivery of size 10 shoes showed up right as we finished up our beer. Fit like a charm.

Caught a ride back to the highway underpass with Ed. I treated my blistered feet and have been hanging out here ever since. It's really nice to have only a 15-mile day. Tomorrow might be 24, or I might stop short, but it would be preferable to have a short day into Warner Springs.

Papa Oats came back from town, played his traveling guitar and I made up a song about the day for our growing trail crew.