Day 4: Mount Laguna - Pioneer Mail Picnic Area

Day:11.04.2018

Miles hiked today: 11.1 miles

Total Mileage: 52.6

We didn't set any alarm clock today and enjoyed staying in bed in our Cabin in Mount Laguna. We have agreed to meet with some other hikers at 9am at the breakfast place. Some hikers would take a day off here to recover, others would move on. We decided to take it easy today and get some things organized while we are in "town". Mount Laguna is actually a very small place, with one grocery store, a post office, a breakfast/lunch place and a campground. We sorted our backpack and I did get rid of some more gear, finally reducing my baseweight to below 8 kg (around 7.3 kg currently). But because I always carry a lot of water and still carry too much food, my backpack is still not as light as it could be. I still have time to learn! As the post office only opens at 12am we had to hang out to send a bounce box ahead to warner springs. However, we did good doing so. We met Michelle who offered us a drive back up to the campground where the trail starts again. Michelle hiked the AT (Appalachian Trial) two years ago and is now helping out veterans who want to do the PCT and takes care of them for the first week. Of course we said yes unisono! Stupid me however left my phone in the car. I had to run all the way back into Mount Laguna and even a little further where I did find Michelle again (I was super happy she didn't leave the town yet) and found my phone (maybe 1.5 miles). She offered me a lift back and I was back on the trail within 20 minutes!

We started to hike at 1.30pm - which is quite late for a 11.5 miles hike (I still get confused with miles and thought och these 11 miles are hiked easily and fast not thinking it was more than 16 km). The view was epic as we got to see the real desert for the first time. I could have taken picture over picture. As we hiked on the wind starting to come along. While we enjoyed the wind for the first 10 minutes (temperature drop, less heat, less sweating, less water needed) it started to annoy me soon after. Is was a heavy wind with up to 60 miles/ hour (nearly 100 km/hr) and it nearly blow me off the trail a couple of times. It was scary and I was happy to have Joanne with me who fully seemed to enjoy it (I couldn't get the fun part of it and did not understand how she could)! Walking with the wind might be cool but most of the times you either walk against the wind (also uphill) or it blows you sideways. However, it was WILD!

I just wanted to reach the picnic area as the wind was killing me and my feed started to hurt. But the picnic area didn't want to come any closer to us and it felt like ages when we finally reached it shortly after 5pm. Arriving there we met our Swiss friend Rahel with her mum informing us that technically we are not allowed to camp at this spot as it is only a picnic area and not a campground. Other PCT hikers where there too and advised us to pitch the tent only when the sun set in case a rancher turns up (he could ask us to move on then...) . The wind was still blowing at its highest but Joanne found us a very sweet und relatively calm spot in between some bushes where we could pitch one tent. Also the spot was a little hidden so we just pitched the tent and did not wait for the sun to set. The wind was blowing all night making a lot of noise. I don't know how the other hikers were able to pitch their tent and sleep as we cought the only "calm" spot. I was happy to share my tent with Joanne but did still not sleep very much that night. What an experience!