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Stopped at: Van Deusen Canyon Road, mile 273.6 Miles today: 24.6
When I started the day at 8:00 am, I wasn't sure I could arrive at Big Bear City today. My pace was fairly brisk throughout the day, and I realized I might be able to make it by 7:30 pm. I ended up walking just over 30 miles.
The animal rental property immediately came into view with signs warning against trespassing. The ranger yesterday had stated, "You'll know it when you see it." Animals included 2 white tigers and a grizzly bear, which shouldn't be surrounded by enclosures of steel wires, but instead, by enclosures of trees. She was very correct because I saw the poor animals locked up in their small cages. They were imprisioned not because they committed any crimes, but rather, their lifetime punishment was because they were given existence. I wonder what wandering bears say to the confined grizzly when they crossed paths.
Indirectly, it was society's fault...my fault...for this enslavery. Society idealized pop culture by spending money on movies such as Gladiator (2000), which used the tamed white tigers. Similiarly, the poachers who kill elephants for their ivory tusks were not totally to blame; it's also the fault of the people who relished owning raw ivory or products created from ivory. Will man's enormities against wildlife ever end? Will my atrocities against nature ever end?
A half mile later, a 4 gallon cache sat just off the trail, and a sign informed hikers of the Blue Sky Layover, a place where hikers could get showers, camping spot, and dinner served at 5:30 pm. Too bad last night I only camped a mile from here. The water cache would have definitely come in handy if I had not met the 2 rangers yesterday who provided more than enough water to make it to Arrastre Trail Camp.
I continued on to Arrastre Trail Camp, another 5 miles, because it was much too early to take the detour to the Blue Sky Layover. There was plenty of water out of the valve at the horse camp, but there were no signs indicating if the water was drinkable so I filtered enough for the next section. I considered washing some clothes with the abundant water, but the skies were darkening, and it would take longer for the laundry to dry. After a relaxing hour, I strolled out as the sky began to open up and sprinkle drops of welcomed water.
The trail has been fairly well marked since the beginning, however, I came to a fork in the trail, but unsure of direction. Checking the compass, it would have been reasonable to take the right path heading north. Reviewing the elevations for the next few miles, the databook also confirmed to make a right since that direction was flat while the left path started to climb. Then I noticed George's footprint heading left, and I reasoned, "George has the guidebook and it has maps, so maybe the left trail must be the correct path."
I chose the westbound left path over my initial reasoning to go north. Soon I reached a dirt road and continued following George's footprints. After a mile on the road, I knew it was the wrong turn, but I didn't want to backtrack. I got off the dirt road to see if I could find the trail along the ridges, and luckily I saw a familiar path on the next ridge. "That must be the trail, but I'll probably end up bushwacking to get back on it." I walked forward about 20 yards, and landed smack dabbed on the trail which I couldn't see moments ago. That was a good lesson on navigational skills. (On the other side of the jeep road, expensive houses were scattered in the distance.)
Laminated paper signs along the trail during this section indicated the famous fire station in the city no longer accepted hikers after dusk, but hikers were still allowed free hot showers and regear during the day. (I heard allowing hikers to camp on the lawn on city property meant they were illegally operating a campsite. Or something like that.) However, the alternative place to stay in Big Bear City was Kip's Place. A quarter mile before Highway 18, a coupon book hung off a tree revealing the trail angel's home. The coupon, which had contact phone numbers, even stated Wendy or Esko would pick up hikers at the intersection of Highway 18 and the trailhead at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Wow, that was convenient! I suspect each person must be getting off work around those times and passing the trailhead on their way home in Big Bear City.
It was 3:20 pm when I reached the highway and decided to move ahead even though the sky was about to break open and unleash a torrent. I thought I could make it to Van Deusen road and hitchhike into town; however, little did I realize Van Deusen Road was a lightly utilized dirt road.
Two miles before Doble Trail Camp, it started raining with a chilly breeze. Mother nature was kind to the surrounding landscape, which needed the free falling droplets. Because I wanted to give the wet feet a break, I stopped at Doble Trail Camp, and I immediately began to get cold like the feeling of jumping into a cold pool on a cool day. For the first time, I wore 3 layers of clothes: undershirt, t-shirt, and rain jacket. Also for the first time, the umbrella was used as a rain shield instead of a sun shield.
Nearing Van Deusen Road, there were branching paths at certain junctions, and I felt I was trekking the wrong direction at one point because the compass pointed south when I expected to go north or west. I backtracked about a mile to check a questionable 4-point trail intersection. I heard voices nearby and headed over there to ask directions. The group of men there seemed to have an aurora of hunters even though there were no conspicuous guns or rifles. They affirmed the path I was on was the correct trail to Van Deusen Road. At this point, I had travelled approximately 25 miles.
Many parts of the trail preceding Van Deusen Road was scattered red rocks like a pile of stones had come sliding down a hill. I wasn't worried about slipping, but the threading on the front side of the new shoes were scraping against the hard surface. At this rate, the shoes will fall apart when the threading disappears.
Van Deusen road was a dirt road connecting the wilderness to the town of Big Bear City. The darkness only reminded me it would be a lonely cold walk towards town. The only vehicle on the road, a Cadillac, didn't stop in the night for a stranger holding out his thumb- I couldn't really expect them to stop. Their fading red light as they drove away only indicated the night was far from over.
It was another 3 miles from the trailhead to the edge of Big Bear City, a dark cluster of large houses. It must have been another 1-2 miles to the pay phone at the liquor store. The nearby Motel 6 looked very tempting ($46.00 weekends, $37.00 weekdays).
At the pay phone, I was going to call Esko and Wendy's home to see if they were willing to escort a hiker at 9:30 pm to Kip's Place, where I had no idea how far or close it was from the liquor store. Before making the call, I asked a guy exiting the store how far it was to Onyx Point. If it wasn't much further, I could walk the extra distance and not have to bother the trail angels in the late night. The man offered a ride to Kip's home at Onyx Point in his Toyota Pre-Runner- it was the first time I've ever ridden in a vehicle jacked up like a monster truck.
James sported a pony tail under his cap. He currently works for someone else in the tree removal business, which was doing very well this year because of the droughts from previous years killing the trees in the forest. He's lived on and off for 20 years in Big Bear City, and admits most people know each other in this touristy town bordering on a huge recreational lake. Almost not suprisingly, he knew the family which sold the house to Kip. James' ride was greatly appreciated on a late weekend night.
George was in the office and was greatly surprised to see me because he thought I wouldn't keep pace. Michelle was in the other half of the room. Bill was in the Kip's home using the internet.
The rule of Kip's Place was hikers were to set up their sleeping arrangements on the lawn, but tonight was cold after the rain (and Michelle had almost suffered hypothermia earlier); therefore, he allowed George, Bill, and Michelle to stay in his office, a seperate house on the same property. I chose to set up the tent outside. George was planning on getting a ride from Kip at 6:00 am tomorrow, but I absolutely felt it was impossible for me to get up that early after this long day, and I was still hungry and didn't have any food for tomorrow.
Hunger overwhelmed me, but it was too late to go anywhere and I had no transportation. Arriving in Big Bear City this night turned out to be a very bad idea, but I needed to purchase food. I wasn't too sure how I would get around town and then making back to the trailhead on Van Deusen road tomorrow. I called Dominoe's pizza and inquired about their special: 2 large, 2 topping pizzas with chiken wings and a 2-litre coke for $25.85. This would allow me to eat and drink tonight, and have enough food for at least 1 day on the trail- both this and delivery also.
Earlier in the day, Kip and the hikers barbequed and ordered pizza. George walked into town on Van Deusen road. Bill and Michelle got a ride into town from Highway 18, which I passed. I should have hitchhiked into town from Highway 18, resupplied at the neareast grocery store, and returned to the trail. I probaly would not be here tonight had I done that, but the situation was satisfactory tonight- it's getting around town and returning to the trail tomorrow which I was concerned about.
The revelation of the simplicity of hiking 20+ miles dawned on me today. It was just a management of energy (food and water), heat (umbrella, sun block, shorts, and shirt), and trail (terrain and feet). If I hiked 3-4 hours by noon, 1-2 hours during the hot midday, and 3 hours after 4:00 pm, then it was very simple to trek 20+ miles in a day. This was the bittersweet breakthrough day because I wasn't sure I wanted to hike 20-25 miles daily and leaving each moment as a blur- people did this in the real world. Maybe realizing how to hike 20+ miles daily was better left a mystery like the distant stars.
