PCT day 11, Paradise Cafe

Mile 145.4 to mile 151.8, 8.4 miles, (2 miles off PCT). Cold, high 58, low 42, cloudy and windy.

I had previously typed and attempted to publish this day’s blog, but as soon as I hit publish, it magically disappeared. That’s the second time in 11 posts this has happened. Word press is very buggy and, in my opinion, not a professional platform to use, but, I’m going to try to continue to use it.

This will now be an abbreviated version of my previous post that disappeared when I hit the publish button.

I awoke this morning and ate oatmeal and colcolate powder in my oatmeal for breakfast. Mary, the owner of the property we camped on, came up to talk to all of us and once again, brought her dog, Scout.

After talking to Mary, we hurried up the trail because we knew that Paradise Cafe lay ahead. They have the reputation as having some of the best food on the entire PCT! It only took us about 3 hours to knock out these miles and get to Paradise Cafe.

Once we got to Paradise Cafe, I ordered the big breakfast. I ended up eating 3 scrambled eggs, a large portion of hash, sausage, and an entire order of biscuits and gravy, and 4 large iced teas. This didn’t even make a dent. I’m at the beginning of hiker hunger!

We ended up hitch hiking the 17 miles into Idyllwild. This is the first time in my life I’ve hitch hiked. The 2nd car stopped, and a nice retired lady named Karen picked us up.

On the way into Idyllwild, Karen was telling us about the hardships that Idyllwild is facing. Last year, during their drought, somebody drove around, throwing road flairs out of the window. That explains the burnt, charred mountains cape that surrounds Idyllwild. Next, they had historic flooding in February that led to mudslides, closing all but one road. To this day, there is only 1 road into and out of Idyllwild. Business so far this year is down 70%.

Idyllwild is a mountain resort city that used to be surrounded by large Ponderosa Pine forests. Once in this town, Karen dropped us off at our campsite and we were fortunate enough to meet the “Mayor” of Idyllwild, Max the dog!

We ended up eating tacos for DOLLAR TACO NIGHT at a local restaurant.

In the final picture, it’s me (Steel belted), Zach (Just Awesome), Julia and Braden (Duke and Dutchess) and Tom (Ace). Topics discussed ranged from on trail experiences to how we’re going to tackle that snow covered beast that looms before uS, Mt. San Jacinto. There have already been helicopter rescues off of that mountain since we’ve been here. Do we go over, or take a side trail around? We will decide on that tomorrow.