Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2006 - Pre-hike 12th April
Wednesday 12th April
I woke up again at 5am.
I set out for the Piute Mountains. I only had a poor road map and missed the
dirt road into the mountains and made a long detour before approaching from the
north down the Kelso Valley Road and then up the unpaved Piute Mountain Road.
This gradually deteriorated as it had been damaged by the heavy rain and
snowmelt of recent months. I dropped off my supply bag and tried to continue up
the road to return to thee Highway by my intended approach route. The road got
worse and worse and then I hit snow. The road became impassable to an ordinary
car and I had to retrace my steps. Eventually I got back to a better dirt road and
then the Highway and went on to Tehachapi Pass where I left a supply bag. Here I
discovered a flat tyre which I must have damaged in one of the many gullies or
potholes on the mountain road. Eventually I managed to fit the emergency ‘space-
saver’ tyre, the first time I had needed to change a tyre for 25 years.
Then it was on to Hikertown (formerly Jack Fair, an obstreperous old man,
had open house for through-hikers here and this tradition was maintained by the
new owners.) where I left another supply bag. Bob thought that the emergency
tyre would only be good for 100 miles but I rang ALAMO and they claimed that
the tyre should do 3000 miles, but I shouldn’t do more than 55mph.
I had dinner at Denny’s in Palmdale before returning to Aqua Dulce.
This time I didn’t get to bed until 11pm but I was still awake by 5am again.
I woke up again at 5am.
I set out for the Piute Mountains. I only had a poor road map and missed the
dirt road into the mountains and made a long detour before approaching from the
north down the Kelso Valley Road and then up the unpaved Piute Mountain Road.
This gradually deteriorated as it had been damaged by the heavy rain and
snowmelt of recent months. I dropped off my supply bag and tried to continue up
the road to return to thee Highway by my intended approach route. The road got
worse and worse and then I hit snow. The road became impassable to an ordinary
car and I had to retrace my steps. Eventually I got back to a better dirt road and
then the Highway and went on to Tehachapi Pass where I left a supply bag. Here I
discovered a flat tyre which I must have damaged in one of the many gullies or
potholes on the mountain road. Eventually I managed to fit the emergency ‘space-
saver’ tyre, the first time I had needed to change a tyre for 25 years.
Then it was on to Hikertown (formerly Jack Fair, an obstreperous old man,
had open house for through-hikers here and this tradition was maintained by the
new owners.) where I left another supply bag. Bob thought that the emergency
tyre would only be good for 100 miles but I rang ALAMO and they claimed that
the tyre should do 3000 miles, but I shouldn’t do more than 55mph.
I had dinner at Denny’s in Palmdale before returning to Aqua Dulce.
This time I didn’t get to bed until 11pm but I was still awake by 5am again.
PCT bodypainting
 |  |