Days 49-54 Zeros in LA - PCT 2024
Miles Hiked: 0
Total Ascent: 0
Total Descent: 0
Los Angeles was interesting. An unexpected but pleasant stop on my PCT journey. I’ve never had a desire to visit. Years ago I came through here to visit Disneyland with some friends and the smog was a big deterrent.
Sunday morning: I went down to the hotel lobby for breakfast to find Bianca and Ollie, a New Zealand couple, that I met on trail back at Little Bear Springs Camp outside of Big Bear. The three of us were amazed that we accidentally met up at the same hotel in a city as large as LA. We enjoyed breakfast together and Bianca told me her story of getting sick on trail, feeling dizzy and believing it to be altitude sickness. They also hitch hiked from the same spot I did on Highway 2; hence LA. That spot really is the last bail out option for miles on trail. Ollie knew something was wrong when Bianca’s condition worsened. She ended up in the emergency room and was diagnosed with unexplained high blood pressure. She’s feeling better now but had been resting in LA for a few days before heading back to trail Monday morning.
The three of us split an Uber and went to REI (like MEC, only better). I decided to have my feet measured and try on different models of Topos. Fourth pair a charm? 🤞 I’m not holding my breath. I’ve never spent this amount on shoes before. I’ve never been the kind of girl to have a closet full of shoes. One pair of runners, one pair of sandals, one pair of boots, done! It’s taken a lot for me to wrap my brain around buying four sets of trail runners. Around $160 a pop, USD, what an insane expense. But, having happy feet on the best of days is priceless, especially on a hike like this.
Ollie, Bianca and I grabbed lunch out at a small Thai restaurant and then hit the hotel pool for the afternoon.
Monday to Wednesday: I tried my best to take it easy. I stretched and did strength exercises for my IT band. I kept up with the course of ibuprofen recommended to me by Dr. Morgan. I debated going to the urgent care centre but figured I’d try rest first. My knee was feeling better but not 100%. I stayed close to the hotel but went on various walks around the area. I also swam daily which was a nice treat. Resting doesn’t come naturally to me. Although this week was great to unwind, I find it difficult to sit still. I really wanted to get back on trail.
Thursday: I decided to rent a car. I had been debating a car rental all week to go sightseeing but I knew this trip wasn’t meant for tourist attractions. A friend from Vancouver spontaneously flew to LA so I decided what the heck, may as well check out the city a little bit. I didn’t want to do a lot of walking since I’m still on rest, so things like Disney, Universal Studios, etc didn’t make the cut.
As an aside, I’ll share a little secret. 🤫 Malcolm and I are both nerds (if you know either of us, you probably already knew that) and we have a friend-pact that no matter where life takes us, we’ll meet in LA in 2049 (old and grey but still kickin’) and we’ll go visit the Watts Towers. Two nerd references here: GTA 5 - the Watts Towers make an appearance. We both learned of this piece of Outsider Art from GTA 5. And, Blade Runner 2049 - hence the year. Neither of us really care about LA. But it was fun to dream and laugh. It’s even in our Google calendars. So, I beat our timeline, and without Malcolm, but I drove over to the Watts Towers and read about Simon Rodia’s passion that took him 34 years to build. It was truly fascinating to see in person. I hope 25 years from now it’s just as cool as it was today.
I picked my friend up from LAX and we hung out in Santa Monica for a while. We walked along the beach and grabbed a drink on Santa Monica Pier (Del Perro Pier in GTA 5!). Afterward, we took a drive over to Griffith Park to view the infamous Hollywood sign. I tried to limit the walking I did but still probably overdid it. By the end of the day my knee was acting up a bit. Likely from a lack of stretching.
Today, Friday, we checked out of the hotel and a trail angel, Roni, gave us a ride to Acton. Trail angel’s are blessings. He refused to accept gas money which was shocking for an hour drive. Uber wanted $120 for the trip. We ended up at the old KOA, now known as the LA RV Resort, which is directly on the PCT in Acton. I got the cutest cabin for a night of rest and relaxation! Tomorrow is the big day! Getting back on trail! Early start tomorrow! But it’s only 10 miles into Aqua Dulce so a nice easy day sounds like a great way to find my trail legs again.
