Friday, April 8, 2016

PCT MM566, Tehachapi, A Zero And Possibly More

Friday: (04/08) A Zero is a day with no miles hiked. This is quite a zero since Lou and i started the day with a walk around the area and also walked over to the Airport camp where many PCT hikers stay to resupply here. The airport charges $5 a night and has a shower. It turn out is behind the fence where our RV park I only you need to walk through the hanger area to get there. No other PCT hikers are here. We had breakfast at the Village Grill where we enjoyed their special chili verde breakfast skillet. It was great. I had the leftover 1/4 poorboy sandwich for lunch and Lou and Dawn enjoyed other leftovers. Otherwise we did some shopping and relaxed at home. Lou and Dawn went to the movies tonight as I blogged. I managed to organize my recent photos and get the blog updated.
It has rained heavily most of the day again. The forecast isn’t looking good so I may be delaying more hike until it clears some? It’s currently under study.
Saturday: (04/09) Started with a walk to breakfast at the Shed’s buffet. Pretty good. I then studied google maps and looked for roads that cross the OCT to place water caches. The person who used to maintain several caches on this section doesn’t any longer. In either cse it can be dangerous to rely on a cache by others. It is early so any caches that exist should have water but I still won’t rely on them.
So… I took a drive to the locations I identified and cached some water away from the trail far enough and hidden enough so it will likely still exist when I get there. I drove Jawbone canyon Road out to the top of Piute Mountain where the trail crosses and placed a cache. Getting up to the crossing tested the Jeep’s off road abilities even though it was a road. Water has been flowing down the roads, more likely a river and there were lots of two foot deep trenches to pass over and by.  The roads weren’t muddy which was nice but rain was threatening all day. I also placed two other caches further North such that I never have to carry water for more than 30 miles.. It’s an 85 mile section in all. As I was coming down the last location it started to drop some hail. When I got back to pavement about 1710, I dashed toward home. It was about 90 miles and I needed to get there in time for a 1900 concert we were going to. I got back home about 1825. While I was gone they had a deluge just an hour previously.
We went to the Fiddler Crossing concert here in Tehachapi with the Susie Glaze and the Hilonesome Band. An intimate 50 seat room and a great show. Dawn and Lou went there previously and Dawn told stories at the their open mike night Wednesday. Tonight it was bluegrass music. Small communities are great!

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