May the 5th, 2016
Miles Hiked: 14
Total Miles: 186
Start Location: Campsite 0197
End Location: Ziggy and the Bear’s House (mile marker 211)
End Location GPS: 33.93781, -116.69841
We decended for another 8 or 9 miles down endless switchbacks until we finally made it to the desert floor again. It wasn’t hot because we were getting blasted with 40-50 mph wind gusts straight into our faces. Seriously, why is it so windy all the time out here?
We traversed for 5 more miles across a sandy shrubby landscape. We passed under huge power lines that howled and hissed and moaned as the wind barreled through like a freight train out of control. Sandy bursts of doom collided into our cheeks and eyes and mouths and toppled us off balance.
We eventually made it past the expanse and meandered underneath Interstate 10. The traffic shook the underpass as we walked through to the other side.
We are staying at Ziggy and the Bear’s house. They are trail Angels that provide canopied shelter on their property, water and a 6 pm Little Ceasars pizza run. We are among 32 other people packed in like sardines as we all try to get out of the wind storm. There is lightning now and rain I feel is soon approaching. This storm system is supposed to last until Sunday morning, bringing snow and rain and really cold, 20 degrees cold, to the mountains. So, naturally, we are going to plan on spending two nights in Big Bear Lake, cozy and dry and stuffing our faces with town food while the atmosphere gets out all the nastiness trapped inside it.
