Friday, March 20, 2026 — Mile 109.5 to 126.9

I adjusted my plan slightly for the day.

Since I only needed to cover about 45 miles this weekend instead of 60, I decided to work a half day on Friday, logging about five hours before heading back onto the trail. I set up at the Warner Springs Community Center, which made it easy to transition straight from work mode to hiking mode.

Before heading out, I grabbed a vegetarian chorizo breakfast burrito from someone selling food outside the community center. It was large, hot, and exactly what I needed before getting back on trail.

The heat hit immediately.

Southern California was still in the middle of a record-breaking heatwave, and even though I was at a higher elevation than my campground, temperatures were still climbing into the high 90s. The sun felt intense, and there was very little shade in many sections. It was one of those days where you have to be constantly aware of hydration and pacing.

Once I started hiking, the terrain continued the gradual transition I had been noticing over the past few days. The dry desert still lingered, but there were more signs of life. The trail wound through rolling hills, patches of green vegetation, and occasional shaded areas, a contrast to the more exposed miles earlier in the hike.

About seven miles in, I came across a stream and decided it was a good opportunity to refill my water.

After filtering about a liter using my Platypus QuickDraw, I looked upstream and noticed a man sitting about 50 feet away, reading a book with his legs and feet in the water. We waved and said hello.

It then hit me that I was about to drink water that had just flowed past his feet.

Not ideal.

But I reminded myself that my filter is designed to handle far worse than that, so I went ahead and filled up anyway.

My original goal for the day was to hike about 10 miles, but I felt strong and kept going. One of the biggest advantages of hiking solo is the flexibility. You can stop when you want, push when you feel good, and adjust your pace without coordinating with a group.

By the time I checked my mileage, I had already covered 18 miles.

I probably could have gone further, but the sun was starting to set, and I needed to find a place to camp.

Looking at the FarOut app, I saw a water cistern near a place called “Mike’s Place.” I figured that might be a good place to stop for the night, so I followed a short side trail off the PCT to check it out.

By the time I arrived, it was already dark.

I called out a few times to see if anyone was around but did not hear a response. Not wanting to wander around aimlessly in the dark, I walked through the gate toward the house and called out again.

This time, I heard a faint voice respond from the back.

I made my way around and found three people already settling in for the night, cowboy camping on the porch. I asked if it would be okay if I joined them.

They agreed, though I got the sense that they might have preferred to keep things to their group. It was late, and I probably was not the most convenient addition.

I felt a bit awkward setting up my gear with my headlamp, trying to be as quiet as possible but still making noise for about 10 minutes while laying out my sleeping pad and quilt.

This was my first time cowboy camping, sleeping outside without a tent.

I was a little on edge at first. The idea of insects or mice wandering too close while I slept was not exactly comforting.

Unfortunately, sleep did not come easily.

The person next to me was snoring loudly, and even with earplugs, it was hard to block it out. I spent most of the night tossing and turning, occasionally looking up at the sky.

On the bright side, the stars were incredible, and every so often I could see a bat flying overhead, darting through the night.

Still, between the noise, the heat earlier in the day, and the unfamiliar setup, I got very little real sleep.

It was not the most restful night, but it was another new experience on the trail.