May 9 Goodbye Saufleys Hello Andersons

Left at 4am with Wolfe, Ooops, Nick, and Waldo. I am definetly outnumbered here on the PCT. I am hoping to see more women when the herd starts to catch up. Leaving at. 4 was the best decision made. The first 10 miles went by fast in the cool morning and walking in the moonlight was awesome. We never needed our headlamps.
Temperatures rose and we suffered through a total of 25 miles with 4841' up and 3608' down. At a rest stop called the Oasis we noted 94 degrees on the thermometer in the deep shade.




The last 6 mile's trail tread was gentle but the temperatures were getting to us.
I was just about out of energy at the 23rd mile, on the mountain ridge when I came across a boys scout sign and heard the frightening sound of angry bees. I spotted the bees hovering under a ledge above the sign. For a brief instant we made eye contact and then it was like a cartoon. They spun in my direction and suddenly I felt a surge of energy go through my body. What does one do when an angry swam of bees are chasing you? Run like hell! I felt like I was in an Alfred Hitchcock movie. With arms and poles flailing and feet trying to stay on the trail, panic set in as I heard them closing in on me. There were hundreds around me and I could feel them hitting my hat, my hiking poles - then one snuck down into my shirt and stung me -- and then, as fast as they came they were gone. It seemed to be a bit of sport for them - Who could sting the hiker first-- and once done the game ended. I can see them now, all huddled around the Queen Bee, laughing as they recalled the terror they caused. Bragging about how many they actually drove over the edge. Defeated, but still on the trail. I licked my wounds and continued on the last 2 miles. Soon a jogger came up the trail toward me. She offered a ride to the Anderson's after her run with instructions to meet at her car, parked at the trail head. A lucky break. Or so I thought until she went up over the hill headed for the boy scout sign. Please don't let her be one who goes over the edge!
But Sarah is a trail angel so the bees left her alone and she took Waldo, Ooops and I to Casa De Luna. The Anderson's were at a Dodgers game and left Wolfe instructions on making us taco salad. Nick had arrived ahead of us and all were chased by the angry bees. We compared wounds and vowed to report the abuse and become trail angels. Here are some pics from today:
















I wish I could say this was the end of the day but as others munched on the goodies they bought at the nearby gas station I felt compelled to go myself and get a popsicle. Waldo gave directions, Nick did too, then Ooops and I headed out. No problem it was only 1/2 mile away, we'd find it. All I remember is we took a bunch of lefts and rights and were there in less than 15 minutes. We got our snacks and headed back. As we chatted we started to notice it was dark and things no longer looked familiar. With no map, GPS, street lights or even a flashlight we were most definitely at a disadvantage.
"wasn't it off a dirt road? I thought Waldo said take a right after the dirt road then 2 lefts and another right or was that 2 rights?
" I don't know but Nick said to take Calle de Monte, but I thought he meant Delmonte. So that's what we took".
So we wandered around for another 30 minutes sure we would stumble upon it, after all it's so close.
" We could ask someone? Do you know the address?"
"no, don't you?"
"let's go back to the gas station they must know the Anderson's"

So we went back to the gas station and the elderly man behind the counter said "well I don't know the address either but I can tell ya how to get there"
"take the first street to the left, no, make a right, well make that the second block, but the first street, anyway it's to your right, then take a left and 2 rights and you will see the house on the left - um or the right. You'll recognize it. Anyway only a few minutes away, it's a short cut"
I guess I don't have to tell you we never found it and 30 minutes later we were back at the gas station. This time they were mopping the floor. The elderly man was on the phone and the other attendants did not know where the Anderson's lived but by now were very curious about us, and wanted to hear more.
Explaining to someone that you are walking from Mexico to Canada but got lost walking just 1/2 mile is a very humbling experience.
In the end, the elderly gentleman gave us a ride to the Anderson's and in-route realized he had left out a few turns. (I knew it!).

Daily tally: Hours awake 18, hours walking 15, trail miles 25, off trail mileage: too numerous to disclose!
Chin-up its POTA......




Heart