May 21, 2016 - Well I ended up sleeping inside, just too cold out on the front lawn at Papa Smurf’s. Woke up at my normal time, around 5:30am but just laid there and tried to get a little more sleep since no one else was up. I tried to sleep on this small couch but it just didn’t work so I moved down to the floor.
Around 8am Papa Smurf came down and made breakfast for all us hikers, eggs with sausage, potatoes and pancakes, yum. After everyone ate I helped with the dishes and packed up all my stuff. Amanda and myself were getting a ride back to where we got picked up yesterday. Papa Smurf dropped us off and we say our goodbyes and we are off.
I started off with a heavy pack, 3.5 days of food plus 4 liters of water since I had 20 miles until the next reliable source. With it being so cool, highs in the mid 50s I figured I had more than enough.
The trail started off with a gradual climb, nothing too steep. I had no problems averaging 3.5mph. In the first mile I pass a group that had a pack of llamas, not sure why. The uphill didn’t last all that long as most of the day was a slight downhill hike.
Once at the top I was walking along the crest for awhile. Then soon after I’m getting my first look of Big Bear Lake and the snow top mountain in the background, very cool looking. Wish I could have actually hung out at the lake but it was way too cold to get in anyways.
I ran into Jackson again. I first met him at the Paradise Cafe several days ago and he was leaving Papa Smurf’s just I was arriving. He took both hitches around the detour sections. We hiked together for a mile or 2 but then he decides he wants to try and catch some lizards so I took off. Not sure if I’ll see him again.
After a mile or so I leave the crest and start making the long decent. Most of the day was walking through a burn section which wasn’t the worst thing to look at but glad it was a cool day because it was all expose. The farther down the mountain the colder it seemed plus I started to leave the burn area and had back into thick forest which followed a creek.
There were some kind of dark clouds coming off the mountain from the direction of Big Bear Lake. I was unsure what to make of it but didn’t seem to be rain clouds so I kept moving.
About 5 miles before camp I decide to make dinner, trying to get in the habit of eating before making camp so my food wouldn’t attract any animals.
I get into camp just as the sun is setting so I hurry up to put my tent up.
Hard to believe I was able to get in 27 miles today when starting at 10am.
