5:15 am start

I didn’t sleep much on this night. I chose to battle the night’s cold and lost. Frost encompassed my bag and at 4:30 am I determined that walking would be warmer than laying there.
There’s power in greeting the magic colors of a waking sky. I do my best impression of a Dad on a family vacation and remark, “look who decided to finally get up” when the sun sleepily pokes her head over the horizon.
The mountains purple, the sky ablaze in deep red, pink, orange and yellow. An hour later I take a break to let the suns rays warm me.
My legs didn’t work well today. Maybe it was the physical fatigue from a lack of sleep or the mental fatigue from knowing I’d have to spend another night in the subfreezing cold. I took a wrong turn and was a mile down an unknown trail before my spidey sense told me to check my map. Shit. Some would say I got lost, I like to say I was exploring. I retraced my steps back to the PCT. Some days are tougher out here than others. Some days made me question why I embarked on this dumb adventure.
But, as if I had a guardian angel looking out for me my phone buzzed with a text from NH Pete. He had an extra bed at his air bnb and if I wanted it I could stay in a warm bed. Suddenly my legs, or my will, worked again. Asaf caught me and we finished the last few miles to the road to catch a hitch together. A random driver pulled over before I regained the energy to stick my thumb out to hitch. Ryan brought me to town and said he could bring me back in the morning.
I took a long warm shower at the air bnb, a shower beer in my hand and then NH Pete and I got burritos. I listened to the story of his newly found love. Warm, fed and happy I welcomed sleep with a smile on my face.

Prettiest sunrise yet. Pink, red, yellow sky before the sun rose. Legs couldn’t get going but I took my time and had motivation to get to Big Bear because NH Pete offered me a bed at his air bnb! Asaf and I closed the day together. Had service a lot and got to call people.
Hitch from Ryan to Big Bear Village. Long Shower. beers. Clean. Burritos @ El Jacalito. I picked up tab since Pete didn’t let me pay for air bnb. Ryan will bring us back to trail @ 8:30 am tomorrow.