A Lifetime Ago: Recap of the Desert Part II

The last little part of the desert chapter for you!

Hikertown and the Aqueduct

Hikertown was absolutely amazing. A lady called Martha started it to help hikers out and literally all our needs are met. Laundry, showers, places to chill, and home-cooked tamales. We prepared ourselves for a truly iconic part of the PCT: the LA aqueduct. This is an 18-mile stretch of an aqueduct through the desert and towards one of the largest wind farms in the world. We decided to start hiking late afternoon into the night to beat the heat. We made a party out of it and dressed ourselves up with glowsticks. We did 33 miles that day, my biggest day yet, and arrived at night in an extremely windy gully. Needless to say, I barely slept that night.

Windpark and Tehechapi

This was by far, the shittiest part of the whole trail, but also one of the most memorable. We entered one of the largest wind farms in the world, and we soon found out why it was located there. A wind started hitting us, so fast that we almost got blown off the trail several times. You couldn’t breathe at times, so harshly did the wind knock the air out of your lungs. I had a true breaking point and started screaming at the wind to (please) shut the f*ck up. As with everything on the trail, there are lots of ups and downs in a day, and small things can lift you up enormously. After some strenuous hours, I arrived at a place on the trail where a trail angel provided cake, cookies, and drinks. This completely made my day. My trail family all gave me a big hug and we trudged onwards through the wind with renewed energy. At the trailhead, the infamous Cheshire Cat was there to give us a hitch to Tehachapi. We ordered Thai food in bed and got our well-deserved rest. What a rollercoaster, all in one day.

Ending the Desert

Our last stretch of the desert. It felt so surreal. It marked the ending of the biggest section of the PCT, and we were so ready for it. It was as if the desert wanted to spit us out with all its hardships. Multiple 20-mile water carries and a lot of elevation and heat. But also an abundance of beauty. I cowboy camped in one of the most gorgeous valleys I have ever seen, between the Joshua trees and underneath the stars. To all of you trail angels, you guys saved our lives out here with the water caches, a big thank you to you all.

The last three days before Kennedy Meadows we were flying across trail to get to the end. What food can do for your motivation is truly remarkable. Arriving at Kennedy Meadows felt so rewarding, and we got pulled into the hiker vortex for a couple of days. Dropping gear, fetching our Bearvaults and spikes, eating, and getting ready for the Sierra Nevada!