13.5 miles into Agua Dulce today, knocked em out around 12:30. In truly serendipitous fashion, my mom drove into the parking lot exactly as I arrived. She picked me up in Vasquez rocks park, which had some cool rock formations formed by some of the fault activity around here. They’ve filmed all kinds of movies…

Just 13 miles today, but tough ones on the knees with some steeeep downhill. I stopped at a ranger station after the first nine for a few hours to let the heat of the day go by. Now this station really seemed to be in the middle of nowhere – sure there were power lines…

I’m sick! Makes sense why yesterday was so tough. While I don’t have a thermometer to take my temp with out here, I’m pretty sure I’m running somewhat of a fever. Did 15 miles today and while the terrain was easy I still felt terrible most of the day. Fortunately I’ve got 13 and 15…

Today was hard! And for no apparent reason. I slept like 10-11 hours and even got a nap in but I was just dragging all day. I made sure I was eating a bunch and everything. Really feeling ready for that zero day coming up in agua dulce. Also if anyone is curious what a…

Had my first purposeful alternate route to the trail today! There have been a couple times so far where I’ve lost the trail and bushwhacked to get back, but hadn’t abandoned the trail on purpose yet. Technically I did that twice actually. One I knew was coming, a four mile section that for like 20…

What a lesson today was in embracing the trail. First five miles, easy, no problem. At 10am I’m at the trailhead solo ready to be so brave and hitch my first ride. I even changed out of my hiking shirt replete with salt lines into my wool camp shirt to look more respectable. I ask…

17 miles today and I’m now 5000 vertical feet higher up than I was last night. All things considered, my legs held up great! Heading into wrightwood tomorrow to resupply and I’m stuck between two choices. I’m can do the backtracking one pct mile and then side trail I mentioned in the day twenty six…

Is this what… optimism feels like? A word of caution – I only went 15 miles total, 13.5 on trail. My shin hurt a moderate amount, particularly in the first half of the day and especially when headed downhill. But all in all, it wasn’t too bad!! Sure I had times today where I thought…

Back on the trail! I did about 9.5 miles in four hours, trying to take it easier. Shin hurt off and on, but definitively less than two days ago. It’s 8.5 miles to the cajon pass mcdonalds tomorrow, so I’ll be able to have a nice slow morning and lunch there to get out of…

17.5 total, 16 on trail for day twenty two. Thought I felt fine despite some lingering pain from the 25 mile day. Crossed mile 300, another real bridge, and an interesting dam! Day twenty three, however, was a problem. My right shin started acting up from the beginning. Ten miles hasn’t seemed like a lot…