Desert Sessions

With at least 500 lizards, 100 stink bugs (cute beetles that lift their booty up to spray smelling stuff at you), 5 rattlesnakes (a mama jumped out a foot away from my friend the other day), 10 unidentified snakes, 6 birds of prey, 50 ravens, a few quails, 1 coyote, a lion, a tiger, and a bear (all caged up in sad looking jails along the trail for hollywood shows like Glatiator), 1000's of Poodle Dog Bush (beautiful soft inviting looking plants that smell like and look like weed but give you a horrible rash), and tons of poison oak behind me, I find myself in the thick of the desert. Hot, dusty, burnt forests, dodging rash inflicting poodle bush I use my shitty GoLite umbrella that broke on day two to shade myself from the UV rays. Being in the desert with small algae pools of water and high winds that have blown my hat off a million times, really makes you appreciate a small patch of shade or a cold can of coke. I have never loved Mt. Dew more than on this trip. Some trail angel on the side of the road the other day had coolers of cold beer, boxed wine and soda. Nothing better than getting a little tipsy walking in the heat of the day on half a beer. Was Memorial Day weekend then too, so got to mess with lots of Day Hikers. Carried the boxed wine two days until a great campsite nestled in the trees with a romantic sunset. Although I am trying to love every moment out here in the desert, I am really feeling the call of the mountains around the corner. A few night hikes through the dreaded Mojave desert, and then the Sierras baby!! Got to summit  my first peak called Baden Powell at around 9000 feet (who happens to be the founder of Boy Scouts) and felt in my element. 

Currently at the most amazing Trail Angel's house ever called the Saufleys. It is in a small ranch town, Agua Dulce, where lots of LA producers have big houses and come out to film the backdrop of these sweet rocks jetting out of the desert floor. The Saufleys really have it all. Big canvas tents with cots in them, shower with shampoo and the ever so desired conditioner, plastic razors to use (i hate letting my arm pit and leg hair get out of control), kitchen with an oven (perfect for making chocolate chip cookies which instantly got me lots more friends out here), bomb fire pit for drinking cold IPA beers around, bikes to use to roll into town and get all you can eat ribs for $15, mail service, boxes full of free shit (hikers love their free things), thrift clothes to wear while they do your laundry, VHS player (forest gump is how I will pass my afternoon today), and a constant scene of happy dirty worn out hikers soaking their feet in epson salt baths and talking about our favorite subjects of gear, food, foot problems, and pooping. Friends like Band Leader, Cookie Monster, Gavin (no trail name yet...boo), Matan (also working on his trail name), Corn Fed, Dumbster Baby, Rain Maker, Simba, and Drama Queen-cant get much better than this. The community, love and support out here is unreal (thanks to Cheryl Strayed popularizing it). I had a slight stomach bug the other day and was feeling some electrolyte imbalance going down this super hot section, and if it wasnt for Band Leader holding an umbrella over my head and talking to me in a British accent about tea time I think I would have shriveled up in some Poodle Dog Bush and not have made it.

More than anything, I get to be in my own head each day and really learn how to pass the moments with myself. The beauty of being out here, a wanderer, constantly moving, and pushing myself to new limits gets me up every morning (also deflating my thermarest in the morning and hearing the air come out is depressing and makes me get up). Everyday I have a moment where I am just like, I love this, I love walking.

Time for Mexican food.

Much love, 

Drop Bizkit