This is part 19 of the “Why We Hike” Series
Wednesday, May 6th / 14.2 miles / Elevation gain: 2,340’
Hiker’s Oasis to Penrod Canyon
The good thing about being near the water cache is that we were able to fill up a couple of liters in the morning before heading out at 5:30am. I think we were both moving strong this morning as our stop 10 miles in at the Paradise Café not only represented the end of Section B but more importantly a sense of crossing the border from the desert to the mountains. We were both ready to get out of the desert, even if we knew that the final day would drop us back into hell again.
Climbing up we had a clear view over the town of Anza as the sun came up. We had only been to Anza once before, when we got Zach from the breeder there. Zach was very excited to hear his name so much in our conversation but couldn’t figure out what we were talking about!
It was 5 miles into our day, on the side of a dirt road that we saw Das Boot and Navigator still in their sleeping bags but just waking up. They had passed us at Hiker Oasis and apparently stopped at the first flat spot. Das Boot had befriended Zach at Mike’s place as he had an Australian Cattle Dog at home and missed her so much. Zach was an instant hit with him.
We decided to give Das Boot the Zach morning “lovefest” treatment and I let him off lead. Not only did Zach roll around with Das Boot licking him but also gave Navigator a taste too. At one point Zach even crawled in their bags for a bit!
Kelly and I were really making time with the sight of the mountains getting closer and closer when I thought I heard a sharp buzz from a little bush to my right. It got my attention and I froze. The buzzing continued, removing any doubt in the same instant. Since we walk with Kelly in front and Zach in between I had to yank poor Zach really hard when I backed up so he wouldn’t end up near the rattler. All this happened in a fraction of a second so it was about here when Kelly let out a little shriek.
Poor Zach, yanked so hard he got airborne and at the same time he gets all concerned for Kelly! So I clip the dog off to a handy trail marker and proceed to convince a very upset rattlesnake that he should leave he trailside bush. In the end another stubborn snake gets tossed with the trekking poles, this time down an incline.
It’s just a little after 9am when we get to Highway 74, and there are already big pine trees, goodbye Section B! A mere mile down the road is the Paradise Café and we arrive to wait the 1 ½ hours until it opens. We are not the first ones there and more hikers arrive all the time.
Pat showed up around 11am with our resupply and ice gear. Of course, we also got word from some of the locals that a heat wave was happening and the temperatures would be unusually high over the next few days. We were mildly thankful for the snow melt it would produce but not happy at the prospect of hiking in the heat after expecting cooler temperatures in the mountains. Anyhow, we pigged out, did laundry at a faucet and sorted our supplies while sipping ice teas and socializing with the other hiker trash.
Having lost so much time at the restaurant, we decide to hike until it’s close to dark before camping. We only make it to Penrod Canyon but the change in scenery is dramatic and we are very happy with the campsite. (Just to be clear, when I say campsite I mean a level spot large enough for our tent to sit on, not a developed camping area with facilities) We are both so full from the Paradise Café that we skip dinner!
Continues here: Apache Peak