Hike South Lykken taking 50 minutes. Bright clear cool day and lots of people on the trail. Carried out 3 full dog poopie bags.
City loop taking 48 minutes.
Hike and spray Araby trail.
City loop taking 46 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Hike Araby trail taking 1 hour 20 minutes. First time hiking this month!
Downtown loop taking 50 minutes.
Andreas Hills out-and-back taking 46 minutes.
Tollgate/city loop taking 54 minutes.
Little Tuscany loop taking 56 minutes.
Hike South Lykken.
City loop taking 50 minutes.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 10 minutes. Did same hike exactly one month ago.
Hike North Lykken.
City loop taking 50 minutes.
City loop taking 41 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 45 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken taking 1 hour 10 minutes. A bit breezy.
Hike South Lykken taking 50 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt taking 1 hour 12 minutes. Did same hike a month and a day ago.
Canyon Corridor loop taking 39 minutes.
City loop taking 39 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon, Victor Trail loop. A bit warm.
Hike Garstin lollipop taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Hike North Lykken. Tried to remove some of the toadstool graffiti but didn't work very well so gave up trying.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 38 minutes.
Little Tuscany/city loop taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Hike South Lykken taking 48 minutes.
Hike Araby trail taking 1 hour 19 minutes.
City loop taking 56 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 43 minutes.
Hike Descanso trail to Oswit Pt taking 1 hour 4 minutes. Beautiful bright clear day.
Hike North Lykken taking 1 hour 12 minutes. Some ugly fresh blue toadstool graffiti along lower trail.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 8 minutes.
Little Tuscany loop taking 56 minutes.
Andreas Hills out-and-back taking 48 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken to Meditation Pt taking 1 hour.
Hike South Lykken taking 52 minutes.
Monday: Depart house at 8:45a. 38911 odo. Gas $3.19 at Red Earth. Long break at Truckhaven sitting in jeep shade. Someone was recently shooting at the site just west of my site. Lots of .22 LR shells all over. Continue on to Borrego Springs. Seems today is Columbus Day and library is closed. Buy pickled veggies at market and have them with sardines for lunch at Christmas Circle park. Arrive Ella Wash site 1:35p. 85°. 104 miles today. Very nice afternoon. Just about perfect conditions. Getting pretty good LTE connection at site. Can even tether laptop to phone. Sunset 6:08p. 80° temp. Beanee Weenees for dinner. Looking for scorpions with UV light but none found. Go to sleep early.
Tuesday: Nice quiet night. Slept well. Sunrise 6:50a. 64° overnight low temp. Ride Borrego Valley north loop from Pegleg Monument, 15.8 miles taking 56 minutes. (Track) Stop at BS airport during ride to watch an aerobatic plane doing tricks. Take break along Fonts Wash before driving home. Home 1pm. 84 miles today, 188 miles trip total.
City loop taking 47 minutes.
City loop taking 52 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt taking 1 hour 13 minutes. Did same hike exactly one month ago taking exactly the same time. Didn't plan it that way.
Hike Oswit Canyon again. Work on removing spray paint arrow and some of the white dots near second stream crossing. Not sure was totally successful but i think looks better than before.
Hike Oswit Canyon to second stream crossing. Overcast and humid but not too hot. Chat with bighorn sheep guy.
Las Palmas loop taking 58 minutes.
Canyon Corridor laps (2) taking 45 minutes.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak. Work tower 11a to 5p. 7 visitors.
Hike Garstin lollipop taking 1 hour 16 minutes.
Las Palmas out-and-back taking 47 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 45 minutes.
Hike Araby trail taking 1 hour 25 minutes.
Hike North Lykken lollipop taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken to Missing Cross Pt taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Little Tuscany loop taking 53 minutes.
Andreas Hills out-and-back taking 46 minutes.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak. Work tower 11a to 4:30p. 6 visitors.
Hike South Lykken taking 52 minutes.
City loop taking 40 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 41 minutes.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt taking 1 hour 13 minutes. Good to be hiking on the desert again. Temp around 85°.
Las Palmas loop taking 48 minutes.
Canyon Corridor laps (3) taking 56 minutes.
Hike tramway to Desert View then back via High Trail loop. Chat with hiker Heidi. Have an end-of-season Bloody Mary at trambar.
Hike to Tahquitz Peak. Visit with Lorraine and Donna at tower. 8.7 miles taking 3 hours 56 minutes.
Little Tuscany loop taking 56 minutes.
Tollgate loop taking 54 minutes.
Hike tramway Round Valley loop. RV pipe bone dry.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak. Work tower 8:30a to 1:30p with Jon. 5 visitors by time i left. Jon stayed until 4p. Hiked out via "old" Devil's Slide.
City loop taking 48 minutes.
City loop taking 52 minutes.
Hike from tramway to Mini Cache One and Mini Cache Two. Mini One's tree is still standing but leaning a bit more these days. Hiked out via Sid Davis route.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 42 minutes.
Canyon Corridor laps (2) taking 46 minutes.
City loop taking 46 minutes.
Little Tuscany loop taking 58 minutes.
Hike tramway Round Valley loop.
Hike Old Deer Spring trail to Suicide Rock with Jon and Anne. My first time on this trail. Did a bit of trail clearing.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 41 minutes.
Canyon Corridor laps (2) taking 44 minutes.
Downtown loop taking 46 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes.
Hike Ernie Maxwell trail out-and-back with Wen.
Afternoon Idyllwild loop taking 45 minutes. Honestly a harder ride than this morning's 20 due to heat and steep roads.
Garner Valley out-and-back riding with Jon King (SanJacJon.com) starting from Lake Hemet store taking 1 hour 12 minutes. Really enjoyed the ride.
Andreas Hills out-and-back taking 45 minutes.
Little Tuscany/city loop taking 1 hour 8 minutes.
Hike tramway to Desert View and High trail loop.
Tollgate loop taking 45 minutes.
Hike Humber Park to Tramway via Wellman Divide. I was really dragging on the trail with hike taking 5 hours.
Hike Tramway to Tahquitz Peak via Willow Creek trail. Work afternoon shift in tower. Only 4 visitors. After shift hike down via Devil's Slide and spend night in Idyllwild. The hike in from tram took 3 hours, longer than i had anticipated.
Little Tuscany loop taking 57 minutes.
Hike tramway, Round Valley, Wellman Divide, Saddle Junction, Willow Creek loop. Meet hikers Debra and Ralph and hike with them part of the time. Nice people and enjoyed the company. Clouds much of day keeping temps cooler. First time hiking Willow Creek trail since reopening after Mountain Fire. Sad to see all the dead trees but also not as bad as i was expecting. 10.7 miles per GPS taking 4 hours 42 minutes hiking time.
Canyon Corridor loop taking 39 minutes.
Tollgate loop taking 54 minutes. Bit of rain in canyon area.
Downtown loop taking 48 minutes.
Quick early ride to see extent of yesterday's fire in canyons taking 38 minutes. Fire is out on hillside but still a bit of smoldering on east where structures used to be.
Hike tramway to Wellman Divide. 5.8 miles (per GPS) taking 2 hours 34 minutes. RV pipe flowing weakly at 0.10 GPM.
Hike South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak. Work tower 9:30a to 1:30p with Jon King (SanJacJon.com). 18 visitors while i was on-duty. Jon called in a fire Tripp Flats area after i left. 1 hour 30 minutes time up, 1 hour 20 minutes down.
Andreas Hills out-and-back taking 46 minutes.
Tollgate/downtown loop taking 58 minutes.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak. Work tower 10a to 5p. Perfect day with 67° high temp and 67 visitors.
City loop taking 46 minutes.
City loop taking 57 minutes.
City loop taking 53 minutes.
Hike Fuller Ridge to Dear Spring trail and back. A bit warm toward end returning to trailhead. 9.25 miles taking 4 hours 24 minutes hiking time, 5 hours total time.
Andreas Hills loop taking 55 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Tollgate/downtown loop taking 1 hour.
City loop taking 49 minutes.
Hike tramway Round Valley loop. Very fresh deer carcass from mountain lion kill along High trail. Also measure water flow at RV pipe: 0.26 gallons per minute. Cooler today than last Friday. 4.3 miles per GPS taking 1 hour 46 minutes.
Hike South Lykken taking 55 minutes.
City loops taking 54 minutes.
Andreas Hills loop taking 47 minutes.
City loop taking 1 hour 1 minute.
Hike tramway to Wellman Divide via main trail then back on High trail. 6.2 miles per GPS taking 2 hours 48 minutes. Nice day. Not many people on tram nor hiking trails.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Hike North Lykken lollipop taking 1 hour 20 minutes. Warm.
Las Palmas loop taking 50 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 38 minutes.
Hike Deer Springs trail to Strawberry trail then PCT to Devil's Slide trail to Humber park. Much warmer today than yesterday. Still a bit of usable water at Strawberry Cienega but will probably be dry pretty soon. Good hike but not sure i really enjoyed it that much. Seemed more like work as i was just focused on getting to end. A bit worn out maybe. Hike taking about 5 hours overall.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak. Work tower 11a to 4p. Temps a bit cool with high of 56°. Only 5 visitors. Today is also my birthday!
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt taking 1 hour 12 minutes. Saw that attractive woman with nice legs again.
Hike Middle Lykken to Meditation Pt taking 1 hour 5 minutes. Warm and a bit humid.
Andreas Hills loop taking 1 hour 1 minute.
City loop taking 54 minutes. Easy ride as i have a head cold.
Hike Oswit Canyon to second stream crossing.
Hike Araby trail taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Tollgate/downtown loop taking 57 minutes.
Las Palmas loop taking 55 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt taking 1 hour 13 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike South Lykken taking 50 minutes.
Downtown loop taking 39 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 39 minutes.
Beach cities coastal ride taking 1 hour 40 minutes. Good ride!
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Mtn. 4 miles taking 1 hour 28 minutes. Woman with nice legs heading up near start of trail as i was heading down. Seems it's legs week on trails.
Hike Araby trail. 3.8 miles taking 1 hour 19 minutes. Cute girl with very pretty legs running trail.
Las Palmas loop taking 56 minutes.
Tollgate/city loop taking 59 minutes.
Hike North Lykken taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon, Vandeventer, East Fork loop taking 2 hours 24 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike South Lykken taking 52 minutes.
Tollgate/AndreasHills/city loop taking 1 hour 8 minutes.
Downtown loop taking 46 minutes.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 8 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 30 minutes. Temps starting to get warmer.
Hike Mt Wilson with Norm going up Sturtevant trail and down via Upper Winter Creek trail. Approximately 14 mile loop taking us over 8 hours total time. I probably would have done somewhat faster on my own but Norm hikes a bit slower and takes longer breaks than i generally do. A really good hike with near perfect conditions. My first time on Mt Wilson. Also fun seeing 100" Hooker telescope at summit.
City loop taking 54 minutes.
Canyon loop taking 58 minutes. Paula let me in for free even though my pass expired last month.
Hike Araby to remove graffiti. Cleaned up pretty well using Goof Off and wire brush.
Hike Araby taking 1 hour 18 minutes. Some fresh graffiti on a few boulders along middle section of trail.
Hike Middle Lykken taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
City loop taking 57 minutes.
City loop taking 55 minutes.
Hike North Lykken lollipop taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Monday: Depart home 10a, 36357 odo. Gas $3.09 at Red Earth. Drive through Truckhaven site. Desert very brown. Five campers at Pegleg. Sardines for lunch at Christmas Circle park using open wifi and watching an aerobatic plane over BS airport. Drive to south park and make quick inspection of my Carrizo Valley site. Still too rocky to camp. Egg Mtn at 2p, 92°. Google phone has almost no coverage here unlike Verizon where i always get a strong signal. Decide to camp at Bow Willow arriving 3p, 96°. Drive 145 miles today. Site #4 in north loop. $15 fee. Two sites occupied in south loop but i have north loop to myself. Bow Willow is where i camped for first time in AB desert long ago circa 1975. Road freshly graded. Was pretty rough back in Oct. Some thin high overcast with light breeze. Very nice afternoon. Calm by evening. Sunset 5:50p behind ridge at campsite, 90°. (Actual local sunset about an hour later.) Instant noodles for dinner. In bed by 8p.
Tuesday: Quiet calm night. Slept well. 62° overnight low temp. Sunrise 6:20a. Depart camp 8a and drive back to north. Ride Borrego Valley south loop, 19.25 miles taking 1 hour 8 minutes. (Track) Sit in park a while using wifi. Since i seem to have only shady table in park an older Mexican man came over and asked if he could sit with me. Was a nice surprize bit of humanity. Cabeza tacos for lunch at Los Jilbertos. Stop by BS library for a bit. Center Market for beer and ice. Only three Pegleg campers today. Arrive Ella Wash site 2:20p, 98°. 69 miles today. Warm quiet afternoon. Wind picks up at 6p. Glad i already have tent pitched. Sunset 6:59p, 90°. Instant noodles for dinner. In bed at 8:45p.
Wednesday: Breezy until around 3a then calm. Sunrise 6:28a, 72° overnight low temp. Ride S22 from Thimble Trail, 20.9 miles taking 1 hour 24 minutes. (Track) Pretty strong headwind from west but fast cruizing when eastbound. Quick break at Calcite overlook before driving home. 74 miles today. 288 miles trip total.
City loop taking 50 minutes.
Hike Desert Divide from Morris Ranch to Spitler trail with Jon King (SanJacJon.com). Checked Cedar Spring, then continued north to Spitler trail. Jon went up to Apache Spring and back. Chatted with a couple of interesting PCT through-hikers. It's been a long time since i hiked Desert Divide. Was very good to hike again. Also Spitler trail is a long fucking walk that takes forever to go anywhere. 15 miles taking a bit under 7 hours total time.
Hike South Lykken taking 52 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 28 minutes.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 8 minutes.
City loop taking 55 minutes.
City loop taking 50 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken. Meet hiker Lydia and also chat with Bighorn Institute guy. 3.2 miles taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Hike Araby taking 1 hour 20 minutes. Nice warm clear day.
Hike North Lykken taking 1 hour 14 minutes. Carry out a full bag of trash plus an old jacket and a fur lined hat.
Hike Garstin lollipop with Kai taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
City loop taking 1 hour 6 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Pt with Wen taking 1 hour 28 minutes. New trail markers along wash from parking area.
Hike Oswit Canyon to second stream crossing. Did some spraying.
Hike South Lykken taking 50 minutes.
City loop taking 1 hour 1 minute.
City loop taking 52 minutes.
Hike Thielemann/Garstin loop going over Smoketree Mtn. 4.1 miles taking 1 hour 27 minutes. Jeep battery dead at end of hike but got jumpstart from a friendly hiker.
Hike Middle Lykken. Nice day with pretty clouds. 3.2 miles taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Pt taking 1 hour 16 minutes. Mustard not bad so far.
City loop taking 57 minutes.
City loop with light rain taking 54 minutes.
Hike Araby trail to my Araby Hope (GC9FD) geocache taking 1 hour 45 minutes total time. Cache is in good shape considering it's been in place for almost 17 years!
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Hike North Lykken lollipop taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
City loop taking 50 minutes.
Canyon loop taking 53 minutes.
Hike South Lykken.
Hike Palm Canyon, Dry Wash, Vandeventer, Wentworth loop via Potato Head wash. Beautiful clear cool day. Hiked first 2 miles with Ellen, Sally, and Marilyn as they started their overnight backpack. 7.7 miles taking 2 hours 58 minutes hiking time.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 30 minutes total time. Also checked my Flag Over Palm Springs (GC2165) geocache. No visitors since 2016. Sad.
Canyon loop taking 55 minutes.
City loop taking 57 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken to picnic tables. Nice band of about 10 bighorn above traverse.
Hike Garstin lollipop.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike Cathedral Canyon to Dunn Road loop with the Jims. Nice hike and pretty day. Didn't pass any other hikers. 8.2 miles taking 4 hours hiking time.
Hike Araby trail. Spraying.
Seattle to visit Kai. Light rain Friday evening but mostly sunny yet chilly remainder of our visit.
Hike North Lykken taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. Pull some mustard but need to spray next time.
City loop taking 55 minutes.
Canyon loop taking 48 minutes.
Hike Descanso trail to Oswit Pt taking 1 hour 5 minutes. Cute girl with nice legs running along Lykken.
Hike Middle Lykken taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Pt. 3.2 miles taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 8 minutes.
CV Link + city loop taking 1 hour 13 minutes.
Hike Garstin trail.
Hike Henderson trail. Back via wash.
Hike South Lykken.
Hike North Lykken lollipop taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
City loop taking 54 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon West Fork to just above Pelton junction. 5.1 miles taking 1 hour 59 minutes.
Hike Araby. Doug and his helper doing some trail work about half way up. 3.94 miles taking 1 hour 28 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Pt. 3.24 miles taking 1 hour 16 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop. 3.5 miles taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 36 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken. 3.4 miles taking 1 hour 11 minutes.
Hike North Lykken. 3 miles taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Hike South Lykken and Oswit to first stream crossing taking 1 hour 5 minutes.
City loop taking 56 minutes.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 23 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 30 minutes. Lots of people on trail today. Good to be hiking again after Taipei trip.
Return from Taipei. Was a good trip.
© Florian Boyd