First warm showers hosts (warmshowers.org) in Idylwild with a good bit of mixed climbing. This is much earlier than we planned to be hitting 70 miles in a day but we were now fueld with last night's crazy dinner and an equally generous breakfast before we started. We wouldn't have to stop to eat much during the day.
Sarah has taken some great pictures on te trip and has been writing about it from her own perspective. If you are interested, you can follow long at http://honoringmycompass.blogspot.com to see what I may have missed.
The last couple of days have been surprisingly safe for the local wildlife but early this morning made up for it. We encountered more roadkill this morning than during all previous days.
Poor little fellow
After yesterday's cool temperatures, today was a major contrast. It was a day for lots of sunscreen and few clothes. We ended up descending quite a bit and by early afternoon were riding in the desert again in 87 degrees temperatures. Water capacity was needed. I finally let go of the broken water bottle and replaced it wit a Gatorade bottle for now.
Desert heat killed whatever nostalgia remained
I am glad we are not buring that kind of fuel on this trip
The changes in scenery and foliage have been pretty impressive as we move up and down from the mountains to the desert and back again. The desert plants can be pretty stark, but this seems to be a great time of year to see them in all their glory.
Impressive blooms
We have been in San Diego county since we started our trip. It has been days and we are still in the same county (it is a big county). Tday we finally passed north into a new county (Riversde) and felt a small tick of progress toward our destination.
Most folks we have met have been quite friendly and by and large the cars have been well behaved so far. Frequently the roads have had little to no shoulder but have been in very good condition. In other places I have ridden (ahemmm...Texas...cough) a smooth road and no shoulder seems to be an invitation to pickup trucks to yell and come as close as possible to running you off the road. Not so much around here. However, if you are passing through Oak Grove you should be careful. Apparently not quite everyone is friendly.
Do you think those 2 drive pickip trucks?
After yesterday morning's climb, my bike computer died. I am generally fine if I never mount it, but once I do I become addicted to the feedback. Today has been filled with withdrawl and frequent queries to Sarah ("Are we there yet? How about now?). She was super excited about it. I found a shop in Anza to get a new battery for the sending unit which appeared to be the issue. Unfortunately, it still wasn't working but with many miles left to pedal and 87 degrees, it wasn't getting more attention today. Remarkably, a couple of hours later it started working again (and I quickly became addicted again). I hope it continues to fnction but I am skeptical.
We had a few more climbs to finish the day and by the time we got to Mountain Center, we wee encountering a lot of PCT hikers again. Apparently there have been some recent fire issues which have re-routed the trail this year to the same section of road that we were taking to Idyllwild. We had heard about this from Monty and te strong reccomendation to hikers was to not road walk here but instead to try to catch a lift. We saw an amazingly high success rate for the folks with their thumbs out. As we went up the final climb o fte day, we both commented that this section of road was by far not the sketchiest we had been on today and Monty's warning was indeed very hiker centric (no way I would have walked that section of road). Eventually, we made it to the turnoff to Monica and Jeremy's (our WarmShowers hosts for the night). The road up to their house was by far the steepest section of the day (there may or may not have been a little walking). After stopping for a picture of the largest pine cone I have ever seen, we were chased down by two boys yelling "Are you staying at Monica's? Are you riding to Canada?" We had not in fact met psychic pint sized stalkers, it urns out we had met Monica and Jeremy's sons returning from a hike and they brought us the rest of the way up the hill to their house (a nice excuse to walk te rest of the way with the boys).
Sometimes life's signs don't exactly let you know what to expect
Good thing the helmet is there
Monica and Jeremy were amazing hosts. They were my first expereince with Warm Showers and as it turned out, we were their first guests. They were very generous and we joined them and their boys for dinner. I wish them much joy in their upcoming marriage and Alaskan honeymoon.
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