Monday – April 26 (Flight of the Lovelorn Woodpeckers)
The scene at the Mt Laguna store/PO was only a few people short of a mob, with about 20 hikers hanging out on the porch for it to open. The rush down the food aisles resembled a shoppers at an after Thanksgiving sale.
My first gear/wordrope malfunction ocured as we were leaving the store. I lifted the pack and a plastic coupler snapped, the one which holds the pack strap to the main pack body. A call to the manufacturer and there should be a replacement part sent to Warner or Cabazon. Meanwhile a piece of parachute cord and an inventive knot seems to be doing the job. Overall, I really like the way the pack carries a load, especially if its in the 22 to 29 pound range.
On the trail we rolled along the ridge alternating between Jeffery Pine/Ponderosa Pine/Oak habitat with high Chaparel and wonderful views from the edgeof the escarpment to the desert floor off to the east, a stunnibg contrast.
Pasing thru several areas burned by the notable wildfires of the last two years, I was struck by the splendid regrowth and the pockets of green. The wildflowers abound and amaze. From one point on the trail, a Mountain Chikadee called and then came out to greet us.
Acorn woodpeckers are everywhere. We stopped to watch as five of them invaded one snag. Then, two of the woodpeckers locked themsleves together in some kind of tantric yoga move so that their wings formed a four bladed propeller and they decended in a spiral to the ground, like “whirlygig.” Some kind of flight of love no doubt.
The gradual descentcontinued until chappal dominated the landscape. Again passing thr many recent burns. in contrast to ’94 when the brush was so thick that my legs were scaraped and the trail obscured, tody the landscape was wide open.
In other contrast to ’94 (when we had theLaguna store to ourselves) we passed or saw many thru hikers and several day hikers who seemed to be out simply to greet the thru hikers. As it was a hot and dry day there were many hikers gathered at the “Pioneer Mail” picnic area, one of the few reliable sources of water. We hiked on and leap froged with Mad Monty and Jeff who are hiking to Anza. We camped at the “faint jeep track above Oriflame Canyon” with the Ertman, Trail Mix and their Dog Red, 20 mile day. The legs feel good, but we both have a couple of blistersand “hot spots” on the feet.
A warm breeze is blowing up from the desert floor andthe hazy clouds we ad most of the day are gone, so it should bea nice night to sit out and watch the stars. Too bad we are both to tired to stay up for the celestial show.
