Day 44: Cicadas

Joshua tree cowboy camp - burned area cowboy camp
Mile 570 - 589
Total 19 miles

I am thankful for every new morning on the trail! Back on the PCT my biological clock is working again as it should. I wake up with the first light at dawn. Heavens are merciful to hikers and clouds cover the desert sky as I watch the sunrise.

Then I gradually climb higher and enter a pine forest. On one of the pine trees are hollow empty skins of some strange looking insects.

All around is very loud noise. It is the mating song of the cicadas. The cicadas live most of their lives - up to 17 years - in the ground. At this time of year the larvae climb out of the soil on tree trunks, and the adult cicadas emerge out of the larva skin and start their 6 week long sex party before they die. Thousands of cicadas emerge at the same time; each having sex with hundreds of partners during the short lifespan above the ground. It is amazing how these huge insects are able to fly.

Shortly after meeting the cicadas I encountered a cute gray fox right on trail. It was the size of a small dog, and just like dogs do, she was eating grass.

The trail joined a dirt road with a few motorbikes driving by, and then entered a flat plateau with more windmills. From time to time a little cloud covered the sun making the walk more pleasant.

Along the trail lots of yuccas are growing. Finally I took courage and tasted one of the dark green fruits. The inside part is definitely edible. A little bit bitter, but not as bad as I expected. The taste is crunchy, nutty, and resembles some kinds of zucchini and squash. The key to finding tasty yucca fruits is timing: too immature fruits are more bitter and if they get overripe, the skin becomes very hard.

Various herbs with delightful aroma grow along the trail between the rocks. I'll have to look them up and find their names.

Following contours past bright white flowers and bright green fruits of the yuccas, the PCT approaches a strategic waypoint: Golden Oaks Spring. The last water source on trail was 24 miles ago. The next source is in 18 miles. The spring is flowing very slowly but steadily from two pipes. The water tank is full of tadpoles (baby frogs) and we can hear an adult frog too. A couple of hikers including Muffinman and Poky Rodriguez have gathered around the spring, tanking precious water for the upcoming stretch of their walk.

The upcoming stretch is exposed and dry, with shrubs, sparse pine trees, and omnipresent yuccas. I finally took a little risk and tasted the yucca's dark green fruit. It is edible and initially the inside seeds are crunchy and delicious. Their taste reminds me of zucchini and squash. There is a bitter aftertaste that comes a few minutes after eating the fruit. The trick is to find fruits at the right stage of development. Too young fruits are bitter, and too ripe fruits become hardened and woody. If my hunger is too big then I'm going to use yuccas to add more greens to my trail food.

On sharp ridges along the trail there are more windmills. Clouds change their colors as the sun starts setting and the trail enters a large burned area.

On one flat ridge little bit off trail between burned oak trees I find a spot to cowboy camp. Gentle humming of nearby wind turbines put me fast asleep, safe and secure in God's everlasting arms.