Moss Update at mile 78...

Hello All,


We are sitting side by side at computers at the Julian library. We stayed overnight at the Julian Lodge, and will be here another full day. This is called a "zero day" because we hike 0 miles. Another term you may hear is "near-o" which is the cousin to the zero, except you hike a few miles to the town or road or back to the trail, but only a little.

We left San Deigo with 2 other hikers, "Kiwi Bill" from New Zealand and Dan from Utah. I dubbed us "Team Zero" since we were starting at the 0 mile together. They have since then gone way ahead of us, but every once in a while one of them has written "TEAM ZERO" in the sandy trail... probably wont ever see them again...

The first day it was raining and cold! Desert shmezzert! The smell of sage and desert lavender is everywhere on the trail. The yucca have 10 foot stalks shooting out of the middles. The cacti are all starting to bud and bloom. Flowers everywhere.

I rolled my ankle 3 times so far. ouch. Nano has some ugly blisters.. not as bad as i have seen, but bad enough to stay in town for another zero. I am thinning out in the face, and we are getting tan. There is NO shade in the desert. None. Well, sometimes in the afternoon, the north face of the ridges are sort of shaded..

We stayed in Mt. Laguna for a near-o a few days ago. It was too expensive, but well needed for resting and eating a burger and salad. We also learned some good info from the post office lady.. mostly about Priority Mail Flat-rate boxes. Whatever you can fit in one ships for 10 dollars regardless of weight. cool.

we headed on...

At the 68 mile mark, in the middle of nowhere, there was the "PCT Store" - a truck full of water, a trailer full of snacks and gear for sale, and coolers full of drinks and BEER!! It was run by a man named Wayne, dresed in full denim outfit with cowboy boots and leather cowboy hat. He had good stories. I drank three $4 beers, and nano took a cold shower with her clothes on!

We hiked on for 4 miles to a very beautiful spot on the ridge with Julian in our dreams... The next morning, we headed into the valley towards highway 78 at Scissors Crossing. This is interesting: highway 78 is also the 78 mile mark on the PCT and it is also the title of the first movie that i shot for Paul Shattel back when i was in college - about the lives of people living near a rural highway 78. weird..

We stood at the road, i with my thumb out, nano holding a sign that said "Julian" and after 45 minutes, Tom picked us up and drove us the 13 miles into town. He is the owner of the "Miner's Diner" here in Julian, and we ate sandwiches at his place. Julian is the Pie capitol of California if you didn't know. Like cherry pie, apple pie, and whatnot. There is a place called Mom's Pies where they give thru-hikers free lunch and pie!! Doing that today!! We are switching hotels later because there is no laundry in the one we stayed at last night, and then we are headed out in the morning back on the PCT headed north to Warner Springs (mile 109) where we have a mail drop package wating and they have a spring fed hot tub!!

I am getting stronger. Nano is still a bit in pain. I go slow for her. She makes me sandwiches because she says her hands are cleaner.

I send photos from my phone when i have bits of service out on the trail... There is a new video here: http://www.youtube.com/mossherbstien#p/u/0/BbfakDtznA4

Unga Bunga