Riding The Crest 2009

SECTION E   AQUA DULCE TO TEHACHAIPI PASS

May 28 - June 7

On May 28, I saddled up Harmony at the Saufley’s Aqua Dulce Hiker Heaven and rode down Darling Road at 6:45am and back to Aqua Dulce Canyon Road headed north. I was surprised at the long 2 mile ride on the roadside and was getting concerned when I noticed Donna pass me with a couple of hikers. She was back in about 15 minutes and stopped and took a couple of pictures of me before coming over to wish me well. I thanked her again and rode on. Ralph was spending the morning taking the truck to Malcomb P. for the turn light repair and to check our clutch. He left the trailer and Jur at the Saufley’s and would pick them up before picking me up that night. The trail crossed the Sierra Highway and circled a hill, went under massive (buzzing) power lines, and then up a dirt road. Then we descended into the valley and there was a register under some flags like at a grand opening. There I met Luigui. I saw him often the next couple of days as he has a good pace and sort of jogs downhill like Shell does. We passed another couple of hikers as we climbed out of that valley on the other side. Halfway up that mountain I stopped and put the rear boots on Harmony. Since both my horses are barefoot (I trim them myself) the boots are on more than they are off. The boots act like a shoe, protecting the sole of the hoof but, additionally, the boot protects the heel as well. There was a wonderful black oak hammock near the top of this range with excellent grass where I stopped and let Harmony have a good munch. Harmony and I met Emily and her husband Ken and his daughter Barbara hiking together at 11:00 going down toward Banque Reservoir. Later when my gloves fell off my saddle, Emily picked them up. It saved me a mile of back tracking. After noon (2:25) we came to the only water cache on the trail but what a cache! It had a stream for Harmony, lawn chairs and pink flamingo and bottled water for the hikers. It was under some big bushes and offered wonderful shade from the heat that someone later told me reached 100 degrees! Everyone seemed to be there. The guys from Dave’s truck, one girl, Luigui, and Emily, Ken and Barbara had arrived with me. I left out before all the others and kept ahead of them. We had 7 miles to go. Going down into the San Franciscuito Canyon Luigui came upon us again and we arrived at the register together much like we had started the day. I offered him a ride to the Anderson’s Casa De Luna in Green Valley, 4 miles away. He accepted and waited at the trailer while Ralph and I got Harmony unpacked and loaded. Luigui shared the back seat with Ech who lavished Luigui with dog kisses before going for a real shower at Terrie and Joe Anderson’s. Ralph was very excited to tell me that he had been invited to stay at Malcombs’ Kushy Ranch. After getting the lights repaired, Malcomb invited us to stay. They offered their guest room shower and I gratefully accepted loving the opportunity to get in a full size shower. But I was exhausted (the heat had drained me) and Ralph was still at the house talking till 8:30 so I made some spaghetti. Lisa (who befriended us and told us about Malcomb) and her husband, Rod came at about 8:30 and we talked until I was almost asleep on my feet.

On Friday I rode from the San Franciscuito Trailhead in Green Valley to 7N23 at N2 (Upper Shake Campground), a 23.2 mile day. Ralph took me back to the San Franciscuito Ranger Station and I saddled up there. The ranger came out and asked what we were doing. He invited us in to look at the map to suggest where I get off at N2 on 7N23. Dave was parked roadside with a canopy and some of the guys were there. At 9:30am I started up the trail and did not go far before spotting some long green grass on the trail. I stopped and let Harmony eat about 15 minutes. I could still see the road. Despite some pretty ‘under the tree’ riding, at the end of the day Harmony was plodding and I was bored (first time) and frustrated. By the time I got to the trail to the Upper Shake Campground I was tempted to take the next day off. The trail to the campground was very overgrown and very steep and rocky. We got to the campgrounds and circled the whole thing (also very overgrown from no use) looking for a way down. I finally took the logical route, the downward road. I came to the closed gate and continued down another 2 miles and finally reached N2. There was the trailer but no truck nor Ralph. He had gone looking for me and we must have just missed each other. He went past the gate before I reached it and I reached the trailer just before him. He had gone to the PCT intersection with 7N23 and left me a note and coca cola. (The note was there the next day but not the Coke. Hikers are desperate for a change.)  We returned to Malcomb’s Kushy Ranch. The Friday night bar was open and we sat outside and meet everyone gathered. Malcomb had made his entire living room into a family style bar, big screen TV and all! Mostly nearby neighbors come and bring their alcoholic contributions. Ironically (it’s a small world after all) we met Ray, Dave T’s brother. The lights of Palmdale were absolutely beautiful from their place on the hilltop. At the end of the evening (9:30 for us) we all sang “Tie Me Kangaroo, Down Sport” before heading home. All fun and good time!

We left Malcomb and Wendy’s by 6 the next morning, they waved from their living room window and I got very teary-eyed and choked up as we headed out. We are meeting such wonderful people and getting to have our lives enriched by them, it is hard to leave. I have a desire to take each one with me and make my home beside them and yet know it is not possible. But what a blessing to meet each one of them! Ralph drove me back to the intersection of 7N23 and N2 so Harmony and I could make the 3.2 mile climb back up to the PCT on Bushnel Summit. There was a water cache but all the bottles were empty and there was my empty Coke can! The whole morning was very pleasant. Much of the trail was a good width (woohoo!) and of a nice compact but rock free surface. Harmony was trotting or moving well at a walk, making good time. Luigui came up on us because I was letting Harmony graze so I let him pass and then Harmony wanted to keep up with him, like he was his herd. We made great time and soon Shell and Lint joined us at the 500 mile mark. It was 10:10 and we all posed for pictures. I called Ralph to tell him I was ahead of schedule. At this rate I could make Pine Canon by 2:30 or 3 o’clock and suggested he NOT go up to Tehachaipi (our next way station) and back but just wait in the shade for me. He never got my message but did just that! I reached Liepre Mnt.(Click for slide show - elev: 6144’) and climbed the extra yards to the top and took a video as well as pictures. A 360° of where we had been and where we were going. Back down on the trail and a few more feet was a cement water tank for fire water with a steel access plate. I moved it and got out very clear and clean water for Harmony who wanted to get on the tank and sink his head in. I just told him to wait and I hauled a few gallons to him. Then I decided this made a good lunch spot and fed him his grain and myself my bagel and cream cheese with summer sausage. As we were both finishing Shell and Link appeared and I called them to the water. Before I left Luigui, Why Not, Why Wait, and another couple arrived. I left them all and trotted out. It was very up and down and through some overgrowth. In the afternoon I went through another wonderful oak hammock and came out at the Tejon Ranch boundary. Unfortunately I let Harmony choose the turn and he took us a mile up the wrong trail before I knew I was on an old section of the PCT. I could have kept on and arrived at my destination but did not want to take any chances or get too far from the “beaten path,” which the PCT is. The PCT went down a two track which was bulldozed by the Tejon Ranch and not with any water bars so it is eroding into ditches. I once again was seeing the tread of many boots. The trail went down, down, down to the N2. At 2:30 I could see the truck and trailer under some trees and knew Ralph had found a good spot. I did not reach him until four, traversing above him on switchbacks all that time. Ralph had Jur high lined in the trees and he whined when he saw us. That brought Ralph out of the trailer and Ech running to greet me. We unsaddled Harmony and let him join Jur and Ralph finished preparing a steak dinner he had for me. We ate in the shade. It was great! We were packed and loaded, heading to Tehachaipi on Hwy 138 at 5pm. It took over an hour to reach Tehacahipi. Lori and her husband, Buck and came to lead us in and brought William with them. William had arrived to reconnect with us the day before. After greetings all around, we went to unload Harmony and leave the trailer before going to the Italian restaurant, Pacino’s for dinner. Yes, we ate again!. I am starting to eat like a PCTer! I got a salad, and an entrée of shrimp and asparagus in risotto as well as cheesecake for dessert. I was stuffed but not unpleasantly so! And I slept great!

We took Sunday (and the next three days) off. Sunday was planned for, the others were not. At 8:15 we got in our truck and followed Buck to the Keen Café to have breakfast with Buck’s parents and friends. What fabulous food. On the way back we stopped at the Tehachaipi Pass, the railroad wonder. The Chinese laborers built a 360° loop and it remains an engineering wonder. Twenty-eight trains a day still use it! Back at the trailer I made phone calls and started working on the computer. No Internet but plenty to do.I got most my journaling caught up. In the late afternoon Lori and I looked at my horses and she suggested the toe wear on Harmony’s boots are from him placing his toe first on the ground (no better for a horse than for a human) and that I should trim his toes. So I filed his front toes and also more of the flare that he has had since I got him. While I am doing so I find a swelling on his front left canon bone. This could be a suspensor injury (very serious) or just a strain or something else. There is a little heat so I apply a poultice and wrap it. Now I pray. If this is suspensor injury he will be out of the ride and it will probably be over as I am just getting to where I will need a pack horse (the second horse to carry the load of feed so we can be out on the trail several days). If it is a strain we can possibly wait it out. Lori offers to haul Harmony and I to her vet in Lancaster with her horse Monday evening. I will pray and see what it looks like in the morning. All things are in God’s hands. He has shown me great favor on this trip. I will leave this in His hands too. That evening Ralph made dinner for us and William and we all ate together as is our habit on this journey.

So Monday morning I quickly got dressed and went to check Harmony’s leg. Unfortunately it is still swollen and there is heat. I rewrapped it and took him to Lori’s vet in Lancaster that evening. The veterinarian diagnosed an infection from a scuff on Harmony’s canon and gave me antibiotics, ointment and some antibiotic powder too. He said to continue wrapping it and we went home and I did so. Harmony was not lame and Mike said he could be ridden but a few days off would not hurt. So the next two days were also “zero” days. I went to Starbucks both days to work on e-mails and updates. Sent out the update on Section C and already got a lot of feedback on how much everyone was enjoying it. That makes the hard work worthwhile. We also did our grocery shopping, auto parts (oil for the vehicles) and the numerous supplies I need along the trail. As I spend more time on the trail and packing out (camping), I am finding things that I need or adjustments needed to make things work better. Lightweight hooks to attach things are important (they must be strong enough to take the constant pounding). Like a hiker, lightweight is paramount. It adds up quickly and I am carrying forty pounds of feed per day (when packing with the two horses). My gear weighs an additional forty pounds.

On Thursday, June 4, I feel Jur’s heel is well enough and can be ridden again. I am going to ride from Pine Canyon Road to the Cottonwood Bridge Camp in the Mojave (Ralph will drop me and pick me up). We were up at five and drove back to Pine Canyon Road’s intersection with the PCT. Ralph just parked us in the road (only one car passed us the whole time) and I saddled up. The trail was through low brush and up and around low-lying hills. We could see the Mojave most the morning with some nice views. Finally we started dropping to Hwy 138. Ralph was parked right across from Hiker’s Town and we moved the trailer to behind Hiker’s Town and went in to have a tour and meet Richard S. who owns the property and Bob who oversees it. Richard gave us and a couple of hikers a tour of his prop storage from movie making. He shared some pictures with us and we enjoyed almost two hours there before I headed out again. We met more of the hikers (No Pain, Whiskey) and saw CanaDoug once again. We also met Paul and Matt who are raising funds for “Homes For Our Troops” by “Trek for Troops.” They are walking and singing their way  along the PCT raising funds for these charities. Richard fed me banana pancakes and I had another cup of coffee. Jur and I then set off down the southern boundary fence of the Tejon Ranch before starting along the six or seven miles of the California Aqueduct. That was a long and somewhat monotonous dirt road ride. Fortunately the day was overcast and not hot at all. I kept my long sleeve shirt on all day. Jur got sore on his heel as the day went on and that evening I discussed the heel injury with Lori and neither of us really had a solution. He just needed to heal and it was in a bad location. I would need to protect it as much as possible. If I lost Harmony now to an injury, we would be stuck, either ending the trip or waiting somewhere for the injuries to heal. It had been a long 12 mile day due to having to push Jur to keep moving at all. I felt terrible that I had to make him go but realize this might happen again and except for a serious injury the horses would have to move to get off the trail.

So with Harmony over his infection I was getting an early start to get through the desert heat. I had on a t-shirt, my long sleeve and my fleece over that and then added my wind breaker when I got out in the desert. The wind made me cold. I saddled Harmony and got on the trail at 6:15. Ech was so cute sitting and watching me ride away. I wish he was ready for the trail as he is shaping up to be a great dog. He listens well and is learning fast. The trail out of Cottonwood Bridge is a dirt road and then it turns and climbs up a small hill to traverse a ridge. The trail through the Mojave Desert is not flat. It is up and down first on actual hills and then in tiny mounds like a skier’s moguls. The trail is hard packed sand with occasional rocks. Harmony did not like either so I put his front boots on early. We trotted almost the whole way to the Tehachaipi Mountains. Harmony was once again looking for boogie monsters (or maybe just the Mojave Green, a deadly desert snake). I guess the days off gave him energy to jump at everything. We climbed to the top of the hills surrounding Tylerhorse Canyon and I had rare phone connection. I left Ralph a message telling him I had made the 4 miles to Tylerhorse Canyon in 1 hour and 50 minutes. So I expected to cover the 23 miles by 3 pm. Harmony and I then dropped steeply down into the canyon and he got a good drink in the Tylerhorse Canyon Creek and a bite of the green grass. On the other side of the creek began the climb out of the canyon. It was very sandy (sometimes deep sand) and the trail was barely 12” wide when it was there. It wasn’t long before I was on the ground leading Harmony so he only had his own weight to balance. This went on for the next four hours while we dropped down to another canyon and climbed back out again. The sand was so deep it was like on a deep Florida beach. Harmony was working hard for every step and then working extra to keep all four hoofs on the trail. I lost count of the times I asked him to climb the embankment to avoid the crumbling side. A few times his back hoof gave but he was so well planted on the other three, other than a good jolt deeper into the saddle, it did not affect us. We plowed on. We got to the top at noon and I called Ralph while Harmony and I ate lunch. The afternoon was a lot of contour riding in harder sand than the morning. But there were more moguls and we did some more trotting, keeping our time fast. I saw Hansel and Gretel on their southerly hike. Gretel told me about a herd of wild horses in the area to look for. I did not need a repeat of New Mexico in 2007 when we were chased by a wild stallion but I wanted to see the mustangs. I did see lots of hoof prints and manure and finally saw small specks in a grass meadow far below. By 2:30 we were seeing the wind generators in the Tehachaipi Range. Under the first ones there was a water trough and faucet. Harmony got a good drink. Soon I could see Ralph parked at the trailhead, a very small black and white spot. I called him to tell him I was on the ridge under the wind generators. He got the binoculars out and spotted me. It took another 45 minutes to get all the way down. At the trailhead is a register by the bureau of Land Management which I signed. Beyond that is a water cache and someone had left fabulous chocolate cookies. Most of you know what a chocoholic I am so you can understand what a sacrifice it was to not take a baggie of them. I wanted the hikers who do not have a frig and cupboard available to them to have the cookies. Fortunately Ralph had bought me red grapes and made me a cup of hot tea. Very welcome after a day in a cold wind. We trailered back to Lori and Buck’s place and Ralph made fried rice with leftover chicken and pork and I got the horses doctored and fed. We ate, got showers and headed to Malcomb and Wendy’s. It was Friday night and we wanted to see them one more time. Wendy was making Mexican food for everyone and Malcomb had all his hair cut off to raise funds ($1600) for kids with cancer. He plans to do it again next year. We had a lovely evening though Lisa and Rod did not come so we missed seeing them again.

I did not plan to take the next day off but, one good thing about being at the trailer, is having the option to stay put. It had started raining pretty hard after we got in at 11 last. Saturday morning we woke to more rain and heavy fog. I was glad I did not HAVE to go riding. So on June 7, Sunday, Ralph drove me to the trailhead. It was a partly cloudy day and warming up but windy. Once I was ready I had Ralph go across the road to get my picture. Just as we were finishing a truck and horse trailer pulled up. A familiar voice greeted me. It was Susan Bates. As much as I have looked for her on the trail I never expected to see her and was quite surprised. She had taken her horse, Port back to Arkansas after a fall she and Port took off the trail after she split with me. She brought another horse, Izzy back with her to do more of the trail. I asked her if she was riding and she said she wanted to but would have to ride back the same way to get to her trailer (Burton was not here). I said we’d drive her back if she wanted to do this ride 8 mile with me. So Susan parked and saddled up. We were not on the trail until 11. And then she was having a fit with Izzy who was bucking and tossing his head. He was wired from being in the trailer for 48 hours! So I ponied him. It helped calm Izzy and Harmony was a champ about a strange horse bouncing around him. I asked if she wanted to ride the next five days with me starting the next day and she did but would need someone to get her back to her trailer. (She ended up meeting some people that let her park on their property and moved her trailer 70 miles north for her.)  

NEXT: The start of the Sierras!                                               Click Picture for Slideshow

 So many trails - So little time!

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