It's amazing how a 10-mile hike up and down mountains will make you sleep. I awoke with the dawn and headed north through Joshua Tree, stopping at several places along the way to take short hikes and lots of photos. I tried to upload some of them, but I am at a coffee-shop in town with a 30-minute limit and DSL, so I wasn't able to upload many without technical difficulty.
On my way through the park, a coyote strolled across the road in front of me. That was cool.
From the north end of the park, I headed west again on my way to Idyllwild, where I have been trying to get to pick up some supplies I mailed myself from San Diego. On I-10, I passed a huge wind farm (and they were spinning wildly, as it was exceedingly windy). They were lined in rows, these giant wind mills all over the landscape, generating electricity for the locals. The motors were probably made at Westinghouse in Pensacola, as that is one of the things produced there.
From the interstate, I took a small road south that climbed high up into the mountains. The hair-pin turns were rather scary, and I had to keep telling myself not to look down, although the views I glimpsed were amazing. Around 6000 feet, there was still a little snow on the ground. Not much, but to a girl from Florida, any is interesting. Idyllwild is a cute town, nestled in the mountainside that caters to the hikers every season. Several storefronts had welcome signs just for PCT hikers. Many businesses give substantial discounts to them and go out of their way to be hospitable. I know the hikers are grateful and happy to be out of the elements, if only for a little while.
While collecting my box from the post office, I met Terrapin and offered her and some of her crew a ride to the trail head in the morning. From there, I then drove to the trail head to offer a ride into town (it's a 15-mile hitch) to whomever might want one, but no one showed up in the hour that I sat there. Oh, well.
It was nearly dusk by the time I got back to Idyllwild, and it was sprinkling and very cold (low 50's at least). I found a spot at the state park campground and set up shop. I had a wonderfully hot shower, though it got chilly once the water turned off. Still, I like being clean and fresh.
After making some hot chocolate with my alcohol stove, I wandered over to the hiker/biker camp and talked to No Teeth and another guy whose name I didn't catch. They are PCT hikers. I asked them about the peeps I started with, but they had not heard of them. I had read the hiker register at the post office and didn't recognize any of the people who had signed it, so my peeps must not be here yet. Oh, well. I hope they are doing well.
As I was talking to the two guys, it started snowing ever so lightly. Just tiny little flakes drifting down. It was getting progressively colder, so I retired to my sleeping bag and went to sleep. Tomorrow I will take the hikers I met to the trail head and then be on my way to the Grand Canyon. Arizona, here I come!
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