Day 38 : The Mojave Desert

28th May 2013
Mile 518 to mile 542 : Hikertown to Tylerhorse Canyon
Mileage : 24

Today was difficult, there is no other way to describe it. It started pretty weirdly when the owner of Hikertown Richard Skaggs invited me in for breakfast after learning I was English. Richard Skaggs is a self confessed anglophile and collector of vintage Rolls Royce cars. As per the attached photo, there was even one in the hostel grounds that was once owned by princess Margaret, bizarre! After the first decent cup of tea that I've had so far on the trail it was time to start hiking. The weather had so far been on our side up until today, and for the beginning of today it seemed like our luck was going to continue as it wasn't set to be too hot. But the compromise on temperature was that we would have to put up with wind. And there was a lot of it. Although it was coolish it was still a desert, but we managed the first 18 miles done by 4pm. For the majority of those first 18 miles we followed the Los Angeles Aqueduct that runs along the valley floor. Just after Hikertown the aqueduct is open and we got to hike along it for a mile or so, after that it is covered over with gigantic concrete slabs that form a rough road upon which we were walking. Unfortunately for hikers there is no access to the aqueduct, so water must be carried for the 18 miles even though at times we could hear the water rushing below our feet as we walked. It as not easy. One additional difficulty of this section was that concrete, and the track that ran next to it, is hard on the feet. The heat and pounding on the hard surface, along with my new footwear conspired to give me new blisters, one of which is just between my right big toe and the ball of my foot, meaning it hurts everytime i step or try and flex my big toe, less than ideal. After that though the day totally changed. From the valley floor we had to climb 2000ft up to Tylerhorse Canyon, not usually a difficult ask now even at the end of the day. But then there was the wind. I set of in front of the others as I was feeling strong but soon slowed as it became clear the last 6 miles were going to be very difficult indeed. The wind was coming almost head on and was strong, so strong in fact that i couldn't stand up straight in it, and there was no escaping it. This section of the Mojave is renowned for its wind, and its wind turbines, and it did not disappoint. I read later that it was gusting 50-60 mph and could well believe. It was definitely the most difficult 3 hours of the entire trail so far. Completely knackered I arrived in the failing light at Tylerhorse Canyon hoping that the canyon would provide some respite from the wind, but I was not so fortunate. Everything about the evening routine was made more difficult knowing that no item of equipment or clothing could be left unattended lest it blow away. Usually the first thing i do when arriving at camp is set my stove up to boil water for dinner and then start other chores. That evening though this wasn't remotely possible, my alcohol stove in had to be as close to me as possible in order to shelter it from the wind, and had to be watched at all time to make sure it didn't blow away as it could have easily set the brush alight had it blown away. All chores finally complete i got in my sleeping bag and tried to sleep. Even sleep, which usually comes easily after a long hiking day, was difficult. Not only was the howl of the wind almost too loud to allow me to sleep , but each gust blew fine particles of grit and sand into the small aperture in my sleeping bag that I usually breathe through. Eventually I worked out that if i tied my bandanna totally across my nose, mouth and eyes I could breathe through it and avoid the wind and grit. Sleep was pretty instantaneous after that.

Accomodation at HikerTown

The long and not so winding road through the Mojave

A Rolls Royce once owned by Princess Margaret