Scenery Change

Above Mount Laguna  
Until now, we had been riding through a lot of rock and chaparral.  Within just a few minutes we found ourselves going into a beautiful pine and oak forest. 

Close to the town of Mount Laguna.  As you can see in all the pictures, I always wear a backpack.  It's not large, but it holds 3 liters of water as well as essential things should I become separated from my horse.  I've got a down jacket, rain gear, hat, gloves, and an emergency kit that contains fire starter, an energy bar and emergency shelter.  Pray for the best and plan for the worst!

Looking out over Anza Borrego desert. The views are fabulous!  I don't know if you can see it in the picture, but on the left of the mountains in the background, you can see all the way to Mount San Jacinto and Mount San Gorgonio, two high mountains in So. Ca. that we will go over in the days to come.  It would be nice if the snow would hold off until we cross them! 

Starting Day Three. Mile 40. (I am not wearing a watch)  This morning we were able to meet our rig long enough to pull all the tack out of the horse trailer because it was being moved to another location.  Once Janine left, we realized we forgot our saddle pads!  Oops.  At least we had a phone signal there at Volunteer Headquarters (also called Red Tailed Roost) and I was able to call her and ask her to come back. 

Fred Canyon road. Unexploded Ordinance!  Don't know if you can read the sign, but it says to stay on the trail because there are unexploded ordinances in the area.  A plane crashed in this area, from Camp Pendleton, about a year ago.  While they tried to clean up everything they could find, there could still be some live ammunition around. 

Kitchen creek road

Mile 37.5 Lunch at Long Canyon.  Okay, so we ate lunch there too, but we didn't eat grass!  This was a beautiful and warm day.  We woke up at Boulder Oaks with the sun and took our time eating breakfast and getting the horses tacked up.  We only had a 15 mile day ahead of us, but a good climb uphill.  We began at 3500 feet and rode up to just under 6000 feet.  I love how the horses stay with us when we are the only ones around.  We don't tie or hobble them when there's good grazing....even in January!

Looking east, toward Yuma. Interstate 8 visible on the right.

Starting up the grade toward Kitchen Creek

Interstate 8

Day Two, starting out from Boulder Oaks campground.

Hauser Canyon was steep, but the view was beautiful.

There is grazing! It can be found even in January.

Above Hauser Creek

Signing the register

Starting out!

There was Morning and there was Evening, the 1st Day!

It was dark.  It was cold.  The alarm goes off at 5 AM on the 1st day of the New Year and it was below freezing.  We have a long day ahead of us.  We must get up and feed the horses and feed us and be ready to leave at 6:30.  It is a 30 minute drive to the border, where we would still need to tack up and be ready to ride at 8 AM.  It was windy and it was still cold as we sign the log in book on the back of the monument, marking the beginning of the 2650 mile Pacific Crest Trail.  Okay, so the mileage this year is 2659; it changes a little each year with detours.  We wave goodbye to Billi-Jo, who would bring our trailer back to Boulder Oaks, 26 trail miles north.  Here begins our journey and adventure with our two horses Aero and Dakota.  Aero is a young horse, only five years old, but he is ready!  He's a little on the thin side and we know he may get thinner, but we'll do our best to keep weight on him.  18 months ago, when we bought him, he was very green and 400 pounds underweight.  Now he's a very good trail horse, with a very good mind and a very sharp eye and only 100 pounds underweight!  Wish I had that problem.  Dakota, on the other hand, is 15 years old and the mature one in our little herd of two.  He also is very sure footed and has a keen sense of everything around him.  He also loves to please.  We begin, not knowing what may lie ahead.  We choose not to camp at Hauser Creek for several reasons, so we knew we had a long way to go on our first day out.  Aero had brand new boots on and a brand never tried before, so we also didn't know if we may have rubbing issues.  As the day wears on, I'm shedding layers, as the temperatures were getting up in the mid-60's; nice and warm for a January day.  Our goal is to make it to Lake Morena by 2 PM to meet up with another friend, Janine, who will ride with us the last six miles.  After a short stop for lunch at Hauser Creek, we still made it before 3 PM.  Surprisingly, my phone got a weak signal, so we were able to call ahead and let Janine know we were running a little late.  Dakota stopped suddenly on the trail when he met up with a dog, Janine's dog!  She rode out to meet us.  She then led us through a dry river bottom to our destination at Boulder Oaks.  This would prove to be a much easier route although it didn't save many trail miles.  Our camper and trailer were a welcomed sight, as the weather was getting cold fast as the sun set.  I'm sure Aero and Dakota enjoyed having their blankets too.  We don't normally blanket at home, but this was a big change from the weather they are used to.  So, as Paul took care of the horses, I took care of dinner.  We were ready for bed soon after dinner.  It was a very long day; about 8 hours in the saddle, but we were also very content.
Gail

January 1, 2014 Beginning of the grand adventure. On this day we went 26 miles to Boulder Oaks.
Thanks for your prayers, there were no problems of any kind. The horses were tired, and we were too. But we were ready to go again the next day. We had cashed water Houser creek, Aero drank 3 gallons and Dakota drank 2. Very steep both into and out of Houser Canyon. Special thanks to the Backcountry Horsemen Association of San Diego, and Billi-Jo, for moving our rig to Boulder Oaks. Thanks also to Jennine, who met us on the trail and led us part of the way.