Day 2
Mile 20.0 to 41.5
Up/down: 4200/1300 feet
Ron and Nancy abandoned us this morning, so no more adult supervision. It rain often on all day today. At least it wasn't hot. When I go backpacking it often rains and thus the name Drought Buster that I've been tagged with by some of my friends. It hasn't stuck yet as a trail name but it's only a matter of time. At least I'm not as bad as this guy:
Plaque at Lake Morena
We went into umbrella mode today. Our umbrellas work for both rain and as sun shades when it's really hot. We can rig them so that they are tied to our shoulder straps and are completely hands-free.
Hands free umbrella
Susan had some effect on the rain today as well. Every time she would put on her rainsuit it would quit raining then she would take it off and it would start again. This caused her to say a few bad words.
The morning was spent working our way across a broad valley, under the interstate eight overpass, and up into Kitchen Creek - A stronghold for Susan's most wanted San Diego county bird, gray vireo. We didn't have much luck finding one in the rain walking up kitchen creek, but shortly after crossing Kitchen creek road we stopped during a brief interlude in the rain for lunch. And bingo, a gray vireo sang from below us as we ate. In the next mile of trail we had 4 vireos and another later in the afternoon.
Kitchen Creek
The rain let up mostly for our afternoon trek up Mt Laguna. We were just coming to the turn to Cibbets Flat campground at mile 32 when who should we see? It was Rob from yesterday doing magic again! We could get used to this! As we crested the mountain and moved into the pine trees at 6000 feet it started raining again. By the time we got to the small town it was pouring. We are holed up in the Pine House Cafe and Tavern. Since the weather is so horrible and the Laguna Inn is full, the awesome staff at the tavern is letting a whole group of hiker trash sleep on the floor. How cool is that!! Magic everywhere as the trail provides.
Hiker slumber party
Such a deal!
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