October 27th, 2018
Mt Laguna mm 42 to mm 18
Distance: 24 miles
1030 – 2000
Sleeping in felt oh-so-good. I slept until 6 am! Then I had TWO coffees and chatted with Zappy and Gail.
Zappy, looking like he has commandeered my backpack and tent. We’re twinsies.
Gail with his toys
I was slow to pack but made it to the PO just as it opened. I bought a few things at the store, which had a good selection, but I no longer needed much. I left town, looking forward to an easy day. The miles passed easily.
Honestly, I remember little of the trail from this day. It was mostly downhill and I was feeling pretty euphoric about almost finishing. Everybody in town had made me feel like a celebrity. I came to a campground for a late lunch, where I enjoyed the luxury of a sandwich that I bought at the store. I was just about to leave when a trail angel, Fruit Bowl, invited me over to her site. She and her daughter Tacos and Beer (TA’s are often named for what they give hikers) shared soda, beer, and cookies. I stayed for a good hour and had some interesting conversations. It was nice not to be in a rush. I joked that I was experiencing what it’s like to be a NOBO at the beginning of the hike. There were so many trail angels and towns in the desert, it’s hard to make any progress. It can be a real party at times.
I finally pushed off and had another 6 miles to go to get to my planned destination, Lake Morena. Once again, I would be hiking in the dark but had gotten used to it and actually even enjoy it. I watched a nice sunset and then relished in a very wide and sandy trail. I had just bought new batteries for my headlamp that morning, but apparently they were either bad or my headlamp was malfunctioning, because it was already warning me of low battery status.
I arrived Lake Morena to find it kind of rowdy on a Saturday night. There were lots of party people at the campground and motorcycles were buzzing around. I headed for the deli/convenience store to meet up with Zappy for dinner. I had a burger, fries, and coke, pretty standard.
I thought I might stay at the campground but on second thought, it was better for my last night to be in a more remote and peaceful setting. I hiked for a few miles and ended up on a ridge away from most of the noise and lights. The night was capped with one more stunning moonrise as I set up my tent for the last time. I felt a bit somber and promptly went to sleep.