Day 19

(Stud) We had thought about taking a zero day in Big Bear City, but since all our in-town chores were done we decided to get back on the trail. Just as we were leaving Motel 6--I saw Freebird, a hiker we'd met in Warner Springs, out in front of one of the rooms. I'd heard he'd found the bandana I'd dropped on the trail that sucko day we'd left Cabazon--a snot covered bandana I wouldn't have touched with a 10 ft pole if I'd found it. Sure enough, he not only had it, but he'd washed it. He had no idea it was mine and was getting ready to put it in the Hiker Box at the hotel. A Hiker Box is a place where you put things you don't need, and other hikers can take from it freely. I was happy to have my purple bandana back--funny that something so insignificant can make one happy.

Freebird was not doing so well. He'd suffered heat exhaustion in the section between Cabazon and Little Bear City and was planning to call it quits. I tried to give him some encouragement--as I'm sure others had as well--but he needed some
time to mend. He said he stay
in Big Bear City at least a week before considering getting back on.

We also ran into Allegheny--a hiker from Va who'd been missing for a few days when he mistakenly took a side trail off the PCT north of Idllwild. His hiking partner had sent word down the trail asking if anyone had seen him. No one had seen him so the general consensus was that he'd taken a wrong side trail--which is exactly what he did. He said he
realized his mistake when he came to a town that wasn't on the trail. Within a few days he was back on track.

Our little hiking pod is temporarily beaking up! We had to bid GottaHike! (Leslie) adieu today as she is leaving the trail for several weeks to attend her husband's family reunion in Germany--plans that had been in the works but not finalized until recently. The three of us have been hiking together since Lake Mareno-and really have had a good time. We'll miss the leavity she brougth to our group. Now who will we tease everday about their not so lightweight hiking gear? Hopefully we'll reconnect when she returns to the trail next month.

Before parting Leslie endowed me with lots of yummy food she wouldn't be needing--her homemade granola, dried oranges, dried tomatoes, sesame sticks, taffy, pre-cooked bacon, hummas--basically whatever I wanted that she had left. Dwight and I have gotten a lot of new food ideas from Leslie.

We hitched out of town in late morning-getting a lift from Trail Angel David Schmidt, who happened to be headed to work when he saw us trying to get back to the trail. He frequently gives hikers lifts to the trail--and sometimes keeps in touch with them for years after. Before parting he gave us part of his lunch--his home made beer can chicken. We had it on totillas for dinner tonite. It was delicious!

The hike today was easy and pleasant. Much of the trail went through a heavily shaded pine forest--at one point providing expansive views of the town of Big Bear Lake.

In late afternoon a cyclist skidded to a halt behide Dwight. This after we'd seen signs that read "No bicycles or motorized vehicles of any kind" at every trail and road crossing. He told us he was a trail maintainer but we found this hard to believe. Why would anyone who loved the trail enough to maintain it break the rules of the trail?

We are cowboying on a small knob about 15 miles from where we got back on the trail today. As I am finishing this up, the sun has slipped over a distant mountain and left a orange glow behind.