Day 33: Turn up the Heat

Cowboy camp on ridge above Aqua Dulce - Casa de Luna in Green Valley
Mile 460 - 478
Total 18 miles

Yesterday evening I wrote in the trail register climbing out of Hiker Heaven in Aqua Dulce: "Sun, turn UP the HEAT, and melt the thick Sierra snow FAST! ~ Snowman"

And the Sun is really turning up it's heat, faster and hotter than I expected. The night was pleasantly mild: no need to sleep in socks or winter cap any more! But already shortly after sunrise it is starting to show its ferocious scorching energy. Still in shade I climbed up a ridge with oak trees where I met Ríša, a late riser and one of us 7 Czechs on the 2016 PCT. A few steps down on trail I met Firstlight at a critical water source: Bear Spring. Bees and hikers drink the most water from this slow but steady spring, the next water being 15+ miles away.

I filled up 4 liters of water for around 4 miles per liter of "hiker gas" mileage. Is that going to be enough? The trail climbs up and down in its gentle switchbacks through thick shrubs of chamise in white-yellow blossom, manzanita and scrub live oak. Some of the bigger shrubs provide welcome shade while climbing up the next ridge with high voltage power lines.

Wild cucumbers climb up the shrub trunks and branches. As noon approaches, its about time to lie down in a shady spot and wait out the biggest heat. The sun moves even higher and shade disappears and there are hundreds of nasty flies - fortunately there are bigger shrubs behind the ridge and with some breeze to keep most flies away. There with Richard and few other hikers we just fall asleep.

After 4 the biggest heat is over: time to restart our hike towards Green Valley, the peaceful home of trail angels (the Anderson's) called "Casa de Luna". The green valley can be seen below the trail. One last ridge and we'll be almost there!

The PCT descends to a fire station at San Francisquito Canyon road. Fire danger today is high. And at the station there's water! My water mileage forecast was accurate: I have finished all of it one mile back.

Following the road it's 2 miles down to Casa de Luna: a must-stop for weary PCT hikers! Shortly after we started walking down the road, a kind driver stops and gives us a ride. And we're just in time for a delicious free dinner of chips, beans, onions, tomatoes and chili peppers! Lucy and Rocksteady and Petra from Czech team have been early birds and already arrived around noon. 111 successfully completed the 24 beer 24 miles 24 hours challenge. And there's Sarge and Corporate and Mountain Goat too! More pictures from Casa de Luna tomorrow. Tomorrow I'm not hiking anywhere, my miles will be zero, I'm taking a totally ZERO day in the peaceful manzanita forest at the Anderson's  at the house of the moon (Casa de Luna) in the beautiful Green Valley!