Of Angels and Frost – Tehachapi to Walker Pass

Day 39 – 0 miles/559

After having such a pleasant evening with the Austrians, Lime-A-Rita and Stardust, we planned to get breakfast with them. On a recommendation from a guy we met in the hotel parking lot the night before, we got our fill at the diner a few blocks down the main drag. I don’t usually opt for pancakes, but the hiker hunger is starting to set in, so I opted for pancakes with the typical eggs and potatoes. Next stop was the post office. Maggie and I needed to refresh some gear, and it was waiting for us at the post office. Maggie’s sleeping pad had developed a slow leak, and she needed a new rain jacket as well. My backpack was one size too big, so the hip belt wasn’t staying up on my hips as it should. We both got some new socks and shoes too! Unfortunately, the package with our shoes couldn’t be found… We were told to check back the next day. Not much else we could do so on to the next errand. We weren’t keen on walking 2-3 miles to the grocery store, so we put our thumbs out with the Austrians in the post office parking lot. A blue Subaru pulled up with the hikers we got sushi with the night before. Rachel, a Tehachapi trail Angel, was driving and told us to pile in. At the grocery store, we were talking with Rachel and, upon learning it was both Maggie’s and Stardust’s birthday the next day, she offered to host us for a birthday party. We were stunned, but it was hard to say no. We got her phone number and went grocery shopping at Walmart.

We wandered around the shiny concrete floors, carefully inspecting every aisle for 2 hours. Woof. We went to Big 5 for fuel, then Albertsons for some a few more things, which took another 2 hours. For some reason, standing around at the grocery store is just as tiring as hiking and we weren’t sure how we were going to get back to the hotel. Packing up our food out front of Albertsons, a tall bespectacled man approached us, bouquet of flowers in hand, and asked, “Are you hiking the PCT? Do you need a ride to the trail?” I explained were staying in town and just needed a ride to the hotel, and he was happy to help. We threw our packs in the back of his Mustang and talked for a few minutes on the way back. He was a flight test engineer at Edward’s Air Force Base, very interesting guy! We veged out in the hotel for a few hours then walked over to Thai restaurant. Of course, we ran into the Austrians again! After dinner, we all enjoyed another night chilling and drinking with them till 11pm.

Day 40 – 0 miles/559

Maggie and I rolled off our rock hard bed and organized gear and food before checking out. For breakfast (it was 10:30, so brunch?) we walked over to the German bakery across the street with the Austrians. The bread and the pastries were top notch! We threw our packs down at the little park next to the bakery and went to the post office to get our shoes.

Maggie and I sat in the railyard park grass with the Austrians for 4 hours. Being the day of birthdays, we started drinking mimosas. A few other hikers sat with us after awhile.

Rachel picked us up at 4pm and took us, the Austrians and two other wayward hikers to her home. We met her family, got the house tour, and she told us to relax while they made dinner. We had sausages/fish, mashed potatoes, and veggies. At this point, all six of us hikers were overwhelmed by the generosity we had received, but it wasn’t done yet. It didn’t take long after plates were cleared for birthday cakes to come out for Maggie and Stardust!

We hung out with Rachel and her husband a couple hours before bed. Maggie and I slept in a tiny home they built as a pandemic project. It was truly above and beyond. We couldn’t believe how the day went down, but it was a wonderful surprise and inspiring to return some generosity in the future.

Day 41 – 15 miles/574

Rachel wasn’t done yet – she naturally cooked breakfast for all of us with some of her fresh home grown eggs. She gave us and the Austrians a ride back to the trail at 10am. We said our goodbyes, a bittersweet moment of wanting to stay, but needing to get back to hiking.

The four of us hiked into the Tehachapi Pass wind farm. Our packs were heavy, about 45 lbs, with 5 days of food and 5 liters of water. The wind was strong and steady. Soon after we set off, fog rolled in, dropping visibility to ~50 feet for a good hour. It was eerie and cold, but somehwhat of a nice change from the persistent sun of late.

We crossed Highway 58, the bottom of Tehachapi pass, and climbed up the other side, taking frequent breaks with our weighty packs. The wind picked up even more, pushing us from side to side, slowing progress. We made it up higher yet into the pinyon forest and got some blockage from the wind. Maggie and I found a nice nook to cowboy camp in. The Austrians kept going a few miles, so we camped alone. The clouds and the sun put on a show for us as the day ended. We watched for several minutes, bundled up in most of our clothes.

Day 42 – 21 miles/595

We woke up in a cloud. It wasn’t raining, per se, but the wind was flinging condensation off the trees on to our sleeping bags. We were still mostly dry though. We hiked into the fog.

The fog cleared up by 9. It was windy all day, but overall it was sunny and mild. The landscape changed a bit to volcanic hills. It was a subtle, but nice, change of scenery. A few small wind farms lined the PCT for some miles. I suppose they’re in a good spot becasue the wind was blowing us around while we walked at times.

We ate lunch by a spring. Our water filter slowed down significantly since last using it, adding an extra (unplanned) 45 minutes to our lunch break. We carried on, but our packs were still heavy. It was tiring me out. My new pack was really digging into my hips and back. Since I don’t have much built in padding, I put my sit pad on my back between me and the pack. It was a world of difference!

We were able to push another 2.5 miles to get up the next hill and pass 20 miles for the day. We camped alone in a protected nook between pines and oaks.

Day 43 – 21 miles/616

We woke up in a cloud. Again. It wasn’t snowing, per se, but rime ice was collecting on the trees an blowing on to our tent. It was very pretty, but obviously cold and windy.

We geared up and walked amongst oak, pine, and sage brush. It was a winter wonderland! We took too many pictures, to be honest.

The clouds slowly started letting up around 10am. We crossed the 600 mile mark! Another cool milestone, but each hundred is feeling easier and easier as we go.

We stopped for water and lunch at 11:15 and the sun finally came out. Rime kept falling from the trees so it still looked like it was snowing at time. The trail took us into open pine forest with outcrops of granite boulders. It was easy, flat terrain, and it felt like a completely different day than the one we woke up to.

We got water at a campground spring, ate snacks, dried out gear, and did some bird watching with Maggie’s new monocular. On down the trail, the forest gave way to scrubby desert, but some pinyons returned later. We saw Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48, for the first time from 80 miles away. It looked miniscule, but I’ve stared as images for so long that I instantly recognized the sawtooth ridgeline.

The last few miles were an easy downhill to a water cache. We were back in the desert again, and if the water cache wasn’t there, it would be over 50 miles to the next water source. It’s amazing, the work people do to make thru hiking possible. We camped alone, although the Austrians came in just after sundown and camped nearby a little off trail. It was a calm night, and we were thankful to get a break from the wind.

Day 44 – 19 miles/635

I woke up on the ground. Ok well obviously I sleep on the ground, but my sleeping pad deflated in the night. I was rather disappointed, but I did manage to get some more sleep. In the morning, Maggie spottied a one inch long cut on the bottom of the pad. A bit unusual, but we were able to patch it. We hiked through rolling desert hills. Sage brush, ephedra, and Joshua trees dominated the land.

The weather started off calm, but the wind picked up again by 11. Fighter jets flew overhead, adding a manmade overtone to the dull roar all around. If I didn’t know there were military bases nearby, I would’ve thought an invasion was pending. We ate lunch sheltered behind some rocks. The trail continued with a few small ups and downs. We arrived at the next water cache and rested for a bit. We finished the day with a 1,600 foot climb up Skinner peak. It got cold very quickly up near 7,000 feet. We made it to camp at 7pm, the Austrians right behind us. We were mostly protected from the wind, but gusts flapped our tent around much of the night.

Day 45 – 16 miles/651

We slept in and enjoyed a slow morning. We knew we had an easy day ahead, so we got on trail at 9:45. The wind was still blowing strong. We started off wearing most of our layers. The trail weaved through pleasant pinyon forest for several miles, which helped block some of the wind. It was nice to take short breaks and warm up in the sun. The forest gave way to scrub oak and the trail joined a dirt road. This was a particularly boring couple miles. We hiked quickly to get it over with and eat lunch. The only thing of interest was that, even though it felt like we were much lower in elevation, we occasionally got a view down to the Mojave a few thousand feet below.

After lunch, it was only 7.5 miles to Walker Pass campground. We cruised down, not taking many breaks because we were eager to be done well before sunset for once. The pinyon rejoined us for a bit and we got a view down to the pass below. So down we went, back into the proper desert again. We were done hiking at 4:45pm! We signed the trail register at the turn off the campground, then wandered in to find a place to set up camp. The first campsite had a white Cadillac truck and a 20 foot trailer. Obviously taken we almost passed it by without a second thought, but their picnic table had lots of water jugs. I peered for a closer look and saw fresh fruit and boxes of poptarts – this was definitely trail magic!

We examined the spread and soon after an old man wearing a Vietnam veteran hat came from the trailer. He introduced himself as “Possum” and told us to take whatever we like. “My son is heating up water for coffee and hot chocolate, it should be ready in a few minutes,” he said. This was exactly what Maggie wanted to hear. The son, “Jumnaji,” had hiked the PCT a few years prior. The two of them had been at Walker Pass providing trail magic for over a week! Their plan was to drive up along the trail throughout the summer and do the same as the hikers moved north. We indulged in a grapefruit, candy, and of course a coffee for Maggie. We chatted for a little while then went and found our campsite 30 yards away.

Wind wind wind. It’s hard to explain how unsettling it is to have incessant wind for several days in a row. It’s something that constantly occupies your mind – the sound, the cold, the dust being blown in your face. We had a few small shrubs by our spot providing meager protection and a larger pinyon to the side. We sat and gathered data, feeling how strong the wind was. No cell service, so we watched the earth turn and the clouds shifted into shapes that we tried to recognize. As the sun neared the ridgeline to the west, we decided to set up the tent. It was suddenly… quiet. “Am I crazy, or did the wind just stop?” I asked Maggie. It had certainly been slowing down over the last couple hours, but it felt like someone turned a switch off. The dull distant roar was no more. We made dinner in the last few minutes of sunlight and retired to read in our sleeping bags. It was totally calm all night and we slept hard.

Day 46 – 3 miles/654

It was resupply day in Ridgecrest. We got to the road, less than a mile from camp, and talked with one other hiker waiting to hitch. Our good luck hadn’t run out yet, because a couple minutes later, a truck pulled up on the other side of the road. Five hikers unloaded and set off northbound. Maggie and I approached and the driver, Valerie, was a trail angel from Ridgecrest who shuttles hikers to and from the pass. We got a ride to town and went to the laundromat first. We got lunch at a little taco shack that used to be a car wash. On to the next strip mall, we looked for clothes for Maggie. Her shorts had over 1,000 miles on them and needed to be replaced. Groceries next, and afterwards we snacked on some sushi in the parking lot. We packed up and went to the main drag to hitch back up to the pass. Walker Pass isn’t exactly “on the way” to much, so our thumbs were largely ignored. A Mercedes SUV drove by, and I said, “Eh, don’t bother, we’ll never get a ride from a Mercedes or BMW…” Never say never. The driver waved at us and pulled into the parking lot. “You two going to Walker Pass?” he asked. Wow. We loaded up with Larry and picked up his daughter at softball practice before heading up the pass. He was a really nice and charismatic guy. Apparently he takes hikers up to the pass on a regular basis. I was ready to vote for him to be president by the time we got dropped off. Maggie and I hiked 2 miles up a little hill to camp. We watched the sunset and went to bed, reflecting on the angelic generosity we had received over the past several day.