Day 19, Weds.May 14: 15-mi. day. TOTAL 364.5

What a climb - straight up! I called Shirley when I reached the top of a flat ridge at 8200 ft. The view is far and wide but the trees are burnt down, hardly anything left but stumps. I will be hiking down to Wrightwood, a town still high in elevation but with real food. I'll catch up on laundry and take a zero day tomorrow. I need it! Plan to have a large pizza for dinner.

The people of Wrightwood open their doors to thru-hikers. I'll be sleeping between clean sheets tonight.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard

Day 18,Tues.May 13, 32.3 mile day. TOTAL 349.0

I felt like a million today and before I knew it I had hiked 30+ miles. Spent the night at high elevation and had to hunt for a flat place at that. I am hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains. I've never seen such beauty - huge Joshua trees, some of them 7ft in diameter. It's hard to believe that I am actually in northern Los Angeles County with so many people. This range of mountains is between that huge metropolis and the Mojave Desert. I'll be climbing up snow peaks tomorrow.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard

Day 17, Mon. May 12. 21 mile day. TOTAL 315.2

Left out this morning around 7:15am after spending the night at Holcomb Creek. All day I have been hiking in Deep Creek Canyon. What contrasts. I have cold water to drink and I dipped my feet in the Deep Creek Hot Spring - it felt good. Crossed a huge dam that is holding back nothing - just a dry, empty reservoir. Called Shirley around 4:15p her time to let her know all is going well.

I have seen a total of 12 non-poisonous snakes and 5 rattlesnakes since I began this hike. The last rattler was only 5 feet from me and startled me so much I failed to get a picture. It was laying across the trail and didn't seem interested in moving. Finally, I threw a stick at it and it slithered off into the brush.

Well, I'm turning in for the night.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard.

Day 16, Sun., May 11- 20.3 mile day. Total 294.4

Started out this day with a huge breakfast at Denny's. Those Grand Slams are just the thing for a hiking guy. Shirley set up a free service for me called Jott.com. As long as I have cell service I can call the main number and describe in real time exactly where I am, what I see and what I am experiencing. Here's the message I sent to Shirley this morning.

9:20 am Pacific time. Hi Honey, I have just left the Van Dusen Road and I'm heading up the mountains right now and I'm over looking the most beautiful site of Big Bear with the San Gorgonio Mountain and it's just covered with snow. It's the second range and its absolutely beautiful. I am heading on up, I may have to do some road walking, to go around a fire, but everything is going well and I feel good, I'm taking my time and relaxing, so its just a beautiful day. I love you, catch you later. Bye.

Appreciation report for the day: Thanks to the Forest Fire Fighters out of Big Bear. They let us know about a forest fire on the trail and provided us with a detailed re-route around the fire. Our great land is blessed with unseen heros.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard

Day 15, Sat., May 10 - 9 mile day. TOTAL 274.1

Today, I left my gear at the hostel (a newly opened, very hiker-friendly facility) in Big Bear City and went for a casual 9 mile walk this afternoon. The sun was low in the sky and the weather was beautiful - cool and pleasant. I could see snow up on the ski slopes. After the miles, we got a hitch back to the hostel. I picked up some hot dogs at the grocery. After last night's meal (we ate at a Sushi Bar - not cheap), tonight's fare will be a little less expensive but still satisfying.

I'm bunking with two thru-hikers - Hiking Bare and Gopher. They are great guys. We'll be heading out in the morning. I'll be hiking a lot slower pace and drinking more water.

Thanks to everyone who have posted comments. They really mean a lot to me. And thank you Joey for your post. Yes, I am enjoying seeing the solitary beauty that God has created. I am thankful that He has blessed me with health and strength to stand on top of the high mountains and get a birds eye view of this great land. Thanks to all for your prayers and thoughts.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard

DAY 14, Fri., May 9, 21.1 mile day. TOTAL 265.3

Well the miles today were a little cooler. We hiked among massive Jeffery Pines and other trees that I don't know the names of. Some of them were larger than the trees in Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. The elevation of the trail today hovered around 8,100 ft and then we descended down to 6800 to Big Bear City around 90 miles east of Los Angeles.

I picked up mail at the Post Office and called my daughter Anna to thank her for the cute birthday card she sent me. Also, got a package from my Shirley.

Will enjoy taking a shower and sleeping in a bed tonight. I may get a chance to check email tomorrow.

I've decided that I am going to slow my pace down so I can enjoy this experience more. The blisters on my heels are healing up but the desert heat makes hiking 20 plus miles day after day very difficult. Will send photos as soon as possible.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard

DAY 13 Thurs.,May 8, 24.4 mile day. TOTAL 246.2

Another long day of hiking. The heat is my biggest problem. I'll start climbing elevation and it feels like I'm hitting the wall of an oven. Also, the sun is making the water hot. I'm drinking it because I know that it keeps me hydrated, but it is not very satisfying. If I had the chance to start this hike over I would have started hiking around the 1st of April instead of the 26th. Maybe it would be cooler.

I'm going to camp in Coon Creek Road off California highway 1N02 tonight. This area is a wide creek of nothing but a little water and lots of rocks. Will be going into Big Bear City for supplies and to sleep in a bed tomorrow night.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard

DAY 12, Weds., May 7. 25.9 mile day. Total 221.8

It is taking a long time to hike over this mountain. The valley is in front of me and I have a view of Fuller Ridge behind me. You can look down on the San Andreas Fault zone from here. I tried several times to call Shirley this morning. Even though I stood on top of a pile of rocks and could see a town off in the distance, I kept losing service. Finally got to talk to her around 10am Pacific time but that was it.

I camped in a group camp at West Fork Mission Creek Rd. It was just a shell of a building where we could throw out pads and sleeping bags down. It has been a long day and I am very tired.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard

DAY 11, Tues., May 6, 17.3 mile day, TOTAL 195

A great day for a walk! The blisters are healing up and I feel good. Will be looking for a place to sleep under the stars tonight. No cell service - bummer.

Appreciation report for the day: THANK YOU David Ledbetter for giving me a ride to the head of Devil's Slide Trail. It's folks like David and the Hinman's that make this world a better place to live.

I am hiking with two other hikers. We hiked 2.5 miles up Devil's Slide to the PCT. Then we reached Fuller Ridge where we experienced our first snow on the San Jacinto Mountains. There were places where the snow was 4 ft. deep. There would be a patch of the trail and then a patch of snow. Finding the trail was not easy.

I'll be sleeping in the shoulder of this mountain.

Keep hiking,
Greybeard

DAY 10, Monday, May 5. ZERO Day

Spent another day at Idyllwild. This is a beautiful facility where hikers camp for only $3 a night. The elevation here is around 5,000 ft.- magnificant vistas and huge pine trees shooting up into the blue California sky.

I really didn't want to spend another zero but the extra day will give my heels a rest. I plan to head out in the morning walking the 4.5 miles on the Devil's Slide Trail to the PCT at Saddle Junction. Then it's up to 9,000 ft. and across the San Jacinto Mountains. Photos to be posted later.
Keep hiking,
Greybeard