It is was super cold and windy all night. It started to rain a little. The wind would gust stronger and the rain would turn to ice.

I grab my filter and hide it in my bag. If it freezes it’ll be usless to me. The sun eventually comes up. I hear Jeff and Johnathan start to move around. I take my time packing. I wander off to go to the bathroom and comeback. Gosh those guys can sleep. I write a note in the sand saying “see you in paradise.” Our next stop is the Paradise Cafe. Their food is legendary. I finish the note and wander around the bolder to where their tents….were… Where’d they go? They must have left when I was off. 

I pick up my things and walk briskly. There’s a light dusting of frost lining the trail. It starts to melt in the morning sun, casting millions of sparkles like shards of broken glass. I quietly pass a few more farming trailers. The trail winds through tall manzanita trees, tiny white flowers speckle the grass. 

    

Where’d those guys get too. How did they leave without me knowticing? They must be miles ahead. I squint up towards the ridge as I round a bend. I almost walk over them! They’re taking a break right in front of me.

Hey! 

I’m surprised and happy to see them. I pause to chat then push on. I’m too excited for cafe food! 

I’m impressed with how hearty the wild flowers are after a cold night.   

   
I catch up to a group of 5 other thru-hikers. I recognize one from Warner Springs. 

We reach the road walk to the cafe. Two of the guys start talking. Whoever gets to the cafe last, owes the other a beer. Deal.

On your mark (they start walking faster)

Get set…

GO!

They take off full sprint, packs, water and everything. 

The cafe is still really far off. It’s hilarious to watch. They eventually run out of steam near the end. It’s a power walking walk off! One holds the lead while the other tries to sneak up from behind. They break into a sprint again. They start running on the road.

The guy ahead gets to the cafe first and does a victory dance. One of the five turns to the others and says, “we’re never going to hear the end of this are we.”

  
I get a table inside and order a mimosa and chicken salad. Jeff and Jonathan show up and join me at my table. Jeff is vegan and can barely order anything off the menu. Watching Johnathan eat is like watching a magic trick. Now you see a giant burrito, now you don’t. We talk about how weird it feels to be in a cafe. I feel so grimy.   

Everyone is talking about the fire closure ahead and how to get around it. A lot of people are skipping this section and hitching a ride to the next town. I don’t really want to skip.
Jeff and Jonathan have a pretty good plan to hike around it and invite me to join them! I say yes. 

We ask the waitress to fill our water bottles and head out. 

It’s aquard for me to hike with other people at first. Am I going too fast, am I going too slow? I eventually relax and just go my own pace. It’s fun hiking with them! We pass through a section with large granite bolders and pine trees.

   
   

The trail then climbs up and up to a high ridge. The views are amazing. 

  

 
It’s tough hiking today! I feel tired going up the switchbacks. I take less pictures when I’m busy talking. Also I feel self conscience about how many wild flower photos I take. I take a lot.   

   
We get to a trail crossing on a saddle. We made it to mile 162! The fire closure.   

I’m so happy we hiked this section. It really started to feel like mountain mountains.  

Jonathan and I push on to the next water source a mile and a half down some switchbacks. Jeff stays on the ridge to try and get the perfect sunset photo. He’ll wait for as long as it takes, hours even.  

 

  
  We get to a small stream. Jonathan filters water for both himself and Jeff. What a good hiking partner. Jeff eventually joins us. thwarted by the clouds again he proclaims. We set up camp, make dinner and watch the stars twinkle through the tree branches. 
Camped at mile 162 of the pct

Miles hiked today: 18 + 1.5 to get water