Scissors Crossing to Warner Springs

Before reaching the water cache previous to Scissors crossing, Nolan and I were 1/4 liter from running out of water in the blazing hot Southern California desert because some water sources recently dried up and neglect to read some comments left on Guthooks. Dehydrated idiots. It felt like a desert mirage when we saw this sweet couple filling up the water cache that morning AND the water was COLD!!!

After putting in another 17 mile day, we stuck our thumb's out on the road to Julian. A trail angel couple picked us up soon after. They shuttle hikers from trail to town and back as a hobby and to help. I am continually surprised by the kindness and desire to help others we see on the trail and the towns. In Julian we ate a whole pizza to ourselves, shocking some of the European hikers and probably confirming some of their American stereotypes!

We hitchhiked back to the trail where we spent the night under a bridge with many fellow hikers, confirming the feeling that we're hikertrash hobos right now.

The next two days were blazing hot 16 mile days where we encountered our first snake and then like five more. One was a gigantic basilisk of a rattle snake lounging on the trail. He was several feet in length and at least a golf ball around. Trying to scare him away, Nolan tossed a small rock at him that accidentally hit the poor snake in the head, making him scared and rattle before slithering away.

One night it began raining while we asleep in our tent with the rain tarp off. I was too tired for the rain to wake me. I was dreaming I was back home. When Nolan finally shook me awake, I didn't know where I was, why I was outside, or why I was getting wet until I blinked myself back to reality. I wasn't much help. Back in the tent once it was covered, I saw something moving around in the dark. I turned on my headlight to see a huge, creepy, long legged spider a few inches from my face. I scrambled in top of Nolan, shouting and trying to smash him with a water bottle. Hitting him, he fell still alive down into the unknown on the tent somewhere in our gear. I hysterically started asking him, where are you, you (insert choice language)?! while rumaging in the dark to find the fallen enemy. After the ordeal ended, Nolan grumbled that he shouldn't have bothered waking me up.

On the trail, I've had so much dirt caked on my body. I smell. SO BAD. I've had multiple spider crawl out of my hair. Usually I don't freak out, but we all have our moments!

We passed mile 100, a super encouraging event, and reached Eagle Rock. It's amazing to finally arrive at big landmarks.

When we reached Warner Springs, we decided to Zero at their community campground. Nolan's ankle he had surgery on last year was super swollen even in comparison to his other ankle. It's been giving him a lot of pain too. I didn't mind! It meant I had the opportunity to have a "5 Gallon bucket bath," which is exactly how it sounds. You pour water from a bucket on your naked body with a cup to wash up. flashed hopefully only Nolan and not other campers because on the wonky stall lock.

More on Warner Springs and after next post!

Cheers(: