Achieving escape velocity

Miles: 9.34 miles + 2.3 side trail
Start time: 12:13pm
End time: 5:15pm
High / Avg / Low temp: 88.0F / 75.0F / 65.9F
Relative Humidity Avg: 21.4%
Injuries: none to report

A false start and a lil meandering lead to a longer than expected stay in big bear, but it was a lovely break, and gave our muscles a full four days off to recover from the abuse we've given them, in preparation for the abuse forthcoming as we attempt some back to back 20 mile days

We departed the hotel room and had a BLT, with avocado, and the nearby restaurant, and again dialed for a ride, this time one was accepted nearly instantly and within 20 minutes we were at the trail head ready to go

It was a 2.3 mile climb up to meet the pct, and it was full of gonks, oh well, the weekend brings out all kinds, and at least they are trying to enjoy nature?

We had planned to make it to mile 287 today, and expected it would take us till around 6pm to make it in, we got our mileage, and even arrived a lil earlier than expected, yay us

It was a pretty pleasant walk today, mostly pine forest, with that sweet sun cooked pine needle scent in the air.  Also for the most part it was not scorched by fire, so that was a bonus. For a while today we had a good view of the big bear Lake, apparently for a time it was the largest man made lake in the world, and also home to loads of bears..since hunted to extinction, for rugs and amusement I'm guessing, so sad

We carried all the water we needed today, and we bet that we'd only need 3L or less for the afternoon, and we arrived with plenty of water each, we nearly camped at a horse corral with a spigot and a park bench about 1.5 miles earlier than we are, but it was only 4pm and we still had a lil left in us, and any miles we didn't hike today would be tacked onto the 19 mile day we have planned for tomorrow, so we kept to our original plan and arrived at water and an empty campsite, we setup and started with our chores. Not long after a couple arrived and plopped their tent not 3 feet from my tent entrance, it's a small wilderness after all..

Tomorrow we'll endeavor to find an even smaller campsite to limit the choices for interlopers

Well it's beginning to get late and my fingers are freezing up, nighty night