Robert Francisco

Destination: Highway 58

Starting Location: Tylerhorse Canyon

Today’s Miles: 25.20

Trip Miles: 566.90

Tylerhorse Canyon (541.4, 4840) to Highway 58 (566.6, 3830) ascent (5112) descent (6099)

With chin straps tightly secured we completed the Mojave desert section of the trail under the watchful eye of the enormous wind turbines east of Tehachapi. Now that was wind.

Had a good day of hiking and completed my first 25 miler of the trip. I physically felt pretty good and I am getting stronger. I have developed a minor (hope it stays that way) case of plantar fascitis which, as I understand it is a tear of the ligaments that run under the foot & connect to the achilles. It hurts nicely after it has contracted (in the morning) and feels like a hundred needles in my heel. Crazy horse has the same problem but his is real serious and thus has developed some expertise on the subject. He gave me the run down of mechanical aids as well as critical stretches.

So, to be clear – thru-hiking is not anything like backpacking and the likely the two should not be lumped together. Long distance hiking is physically very hard as your body suffers from cumulative stresses that develop & hopefully heal without taking any meaningful recovery periods. For me this has meant a series of physical challenges that would typically warrant doctor attention. But our bodies are resilient & I keep thanking mine for hanging tough.

Met Dad at Willow Springs road for lunch and learned he had provided rides to Mojave. We pushed on to Highway 58 to set up our next leg & we are enjoying a little town comfort. We officially enter the Sierra Nevada Range when we proceed north from here but one side of the freeway does not look different than the other and this does not look like my Sierra Nevada but the milestone is cool.

Realized today that Mexico is a fair drive by car from here and thus we are making northerly progress. I feel like I have accomplished a lot by coming this far and I think I can now say that I have a legitimate shot at making it. Don’t get me wrong, “stuff happens” but every mile north means an increase in potential success.

Saw a herd of wild horse this morning. Magic. They let us approach fairly close, and then they positioned their new foals in the middle of a perfect circle with all of the adult horses facing out while the lead stallion served as the high ground sentinel. They are not endemic to California, but they have adapted to the western landscape & to see them gave me hope for wildness into the future.

Destination: Highway 58

Starting Location: Tylerhorse Canyon

Today’s Miles: 25.20

Trip Miles: 566.90

Tylerhorse Canyon (541.4, 4840) to Highway 58 (566.6, 3830) ascent (5112) descent (6099)

With chin straps tightly secured we completed the Mojave desert section of the trail under the watchful eye of the enormous wind turbines east of Tehachapi. Now that was wind.

Had a good day of hiking and completed my first 25 miler of the trip. I physically felt pretty good and I am getting stronger. I have developed a minor (hope it stays that way) case of plantar fascitis which, as I understand it is a tear of the ligaments that run under the foot & connect to the achilles. It hurts nicely after it has contracted (in the morning) and feels like a hundred needles in my heel. Crazy horse has the same problem but his is real serious and thus has developed some expertise on the subject. He gave me the run down of mechanical aids as well as critical stretches.

So, to be clear – thru-hiking is not anything like backpacking and the likely the two should not be lumped together. Long distance hiking is physically very hard as your body suffers from cumulative stresses that develop & hopefully heal without taking any meaningful recovery periods. For me this has meant a series of physical challenges that would typically warrant doctor attention. But our bodies are resilient & I keep thanking mine for hanging tough.

Met Dad at Willow Springs road for lunch and learned he had provided rides to Mojave. We pushed on to Highway 58 to set up our next leg & we are enjoying a little town comfort. We officially enter the Sierra Nevada Range when we proceed north from here but one side of the freeway does not look different than the other and this does not look like my Sierra Nevada but the milestone is cool.

Realized today that Mexico is a fair drive by car from here and thus we are making northerly progress. I feel like I have accomplished a lot by coming this far and I think I can now say that I have a legitimate shot at making it. Don’t get me wrong, “stuff happens” but every mile north means an increase in potential success.

Saw a herd of wild horse this morning. Magic. They let us approach fairly close, and then they positioned their new foals in the middle of a perfect circle with all of the adult horses facing out while the lead stallion served as the high ground sentinel. They are not endemic to California, but they have adapted to the western landscape & to see them gave me hope for wildness into the future.