BACK to San Jacinto! We have decided to go up via every trail this year. Since Mike's ears are AFU he couldn't go on his Scout Troop's scuba trip today so we went and knocked out Devil's Slide. We now have Seven Pines, Deer Springs and C2C2C left. The biggie out of Palm Springs is scheduled 09 Oct with a group so we won't get lost. We MIGHT go up the tram route and tag the peak, but I tell you, that feels dirty - like cheating. So maybe not.
Anyway we hit the road at 0400, pulled a permit and got to Humbler at 0515. We only had one headlamp between us so we dozed in the car until 0545. Got on the trail and had our permit checked in the 1st five minutes.
It was an easy push up to Saddle Junction, but my stomache was having problems. I was off my game and holding Mike back. He took the lead since he couldn't stand the smell behind. We were forced to break about every mile and half and I wanted to quit every time. Mike stayed positive and upbeat and I didn't want to waste this chance to get a check in the block.
Four painfull hours later we hit the summit. Only four people were there and I was glad we beat the tram herd again. Hung around about 30 minutes and headed down. I wasn't feeling any better and Mike frequently had to turn and wait for me. A half mile down the herds hit big time. I stopped counting at 45 people, but it was a PITA waiting for all of our new uphill friends to hike by. Pushed about 2.5 miles downhill and then I remembered I had some Pepto in my pack. Took some and kept chugging along. We weren't fast, but we got the job done.
Took one last rest stop at Saddle Junction and I felt good. Mike noticed I was hanging behind him and he set a brutal pace. We knocked out the last 2.5 miles in 38 minutes.
Afterwards we both feel great - a sign we might be getting into hiking shape................................DUG
