Date: 2016-05-02
From: Mountian Harbor Hostel

To: Big Bear Resort and Hostel
Miles today: 25.1
Weather: light rain

I woke up this morning and had breakfast in the Bed and Breakfast house. It was amazing. I wish I could have eaten more, but I still have not got this hiker hunger everyone talks about. I sat with some young guys from Florida who came up to do some section hiking. When I first arrived for breakfast there were a dozen people or so and I kind of stayed to the side and did not have much to say. Large groups of people and socializing has always been a struggle for me, especially if I do not know many of them. I do much better in small group which is why when we sat down to eat as a group of four I was much more comfortable and the conversation was pleasant and enjoyable. I went back to my bunk after breakfast and packed up my pack, said happy trails to everyone and was on my way north once again. I hiked on the road a few tenths of a mile until I hit the AT. The morning hike was amazing. The sun was bright and the hiking was beautiful and I was singing away. I went through a lot of meadows. The grass is already knee high. The forest has definitely come to life, especially below 4000 feet. Everything is green and full of life. I passed several large groups of butterflies. The first batch there were two or three dozen and the second group there were probably a hundred of them. Some were yellow, some were black, and some were dark purple. I tried getting a pic of the second group, but it did not even come close to what I saw with my eyes. I followed a nice small river for a while and passed by many good flowing streams. The sounds of the forest with the streams and birds singing was awesome. I also was making great time in the morning. I felt great. As early afternoon approached it started to get overcast and the forecast was calling for rain and storms later in the afternoon and all night. I had an ambition idea to hike twenty five miles to the next hostel so I would not have to spend the night in the rain and storms. The terrain was more difficult in the afternoon and I started to hear rumbling from above. I pushed hard and only stopped a few times briefly during the day. Around 2:30pm dark clouds were above and it started raining. I quickly charged into my rain gear and of course it stopped ten minutes later and the sun came back out. I heated up quickly and had to take my rain coat off but I left my rain pants on. I was still making good time and got to the last shelter around 4:00pm. The ski was ominous but I decided to go for the hostel which was almost another seven miles ahead. I pushed hard and about ten minutes after I passed the shelter I was almost to the top of a mountain when the thunder and lighting and downpour hit. I again quickly put my rain coat on and continued on. This is the third time I have been caught up high during a thunder and lightning event. It is very unnerving to say the least. The good thing is this storm only lasted fifteen minutes or so, but long enough to soak my feet. I also had tucked my rain shell mittons on my waist belt from my pack because I was too lazy to take my pack off and put them away. At some point I dropped them and by the time I had noticed it was way to late to backtrack. They were kind of expensive too. So that stunk and now I have no rain gear for my hands. I managed to make good time at the end of the day through the endless ups and downs even though by this time I was over twenty miles and really feeling it. With less then a mile to go it started raining again, but not as hard, just enough to be a pain. I reached the road at 6:30pm after hiking 25.1 miles and I did it in 9:45 that is pretty darn good. As I reached the road there were two older guys just finishing up fishing. I went over and said hi and asked which way the Big Bear Hostel was. They told me to sit on the tailgate of their truck and they would drive me down. It was about a half a mile down the road and I was so happy not to have to walk it. I thanked them big time and was now on my way to the hostel, which is also a resort. When I checked in I asked what my options were. I could stay in the bunk room or a cabin. The cabin was significantly more money. When I went into the bunk room it smelled awful and was totally unappealing. I went back out and was going to take the cabin, but the really kind lady running the places offered to let me stay in a second much nicer bunk room all by myself. It has a coach and TV along with five beds and it smells clean. It was also only $25.00 for the night. So I took it. I showered and I made one of my camping dinners. It also started storming and raining steady about a half hour after I arrived. It is going on 10:30pm now and it is still raining pretty good. I am so happy tonight. I just watched Shanhai Noon while going through my gear and maps. I know I need to deal with the wet and rain, but not tonight. There is no internet service here so I am not sure of the weather tomorrow. I hope the rain lets up and I can do a short day tomorrow and get into Hampton. I just want to thank God for this day and this night.