Between the rainbow bridge at Mile 310 and the Mojave River Forks Dam at Mile 313 there’s a depressing amount of graffiti on the rock faces of the valley.
I can only speculate as to who is making the 35 mile drive from el barrio in San Bernardino to spray paint gang signs on timeless rock faces above Deep Creek. I can only speculate…
Anyways, whomever is defacing this treasure of Southern California, thank God they get tired by the time they reach the rainbow bridge and turn around. Pendejo.
Before I reached the Dam today at Mile 313 I saw my first rattle snake. My first instinct was, “stop moving”. My second instinct was, “please wait for me to get out my camera.”
Luckily I didn’t get bit and I got a decent photo.
The Brits so far on this hike have affectionately referred to these snakes as “rattlas”.
That’s one PCT bucket list check mark for me. Hopefully the bears don’t get this close.
Another bucket list check mark came tonight unintentionally, at sunset. Right beside the trail, a man hopped out of his truck camper and introduced himself as Coppertone.
To my delight, he offered up a root beer float.
Coppertone, a 2006 PCT alum, retired, has been travelling the country continuously for the past six years. Over the last four PCT seasons he’s been randomly serving up rootbeer floats for hikers, and I for one am grateful.
Coppertone is his trail name. He actually earned the name on the very stretch of trail I just finished. By earned I mean, someone saw him trail running in the nude and gave it to him.
Great guy.
—
McDonald’s in 26.2 miles. It’ll take a marathon to get there tomorrow.
(badum-ching)
