Contents: Burnt Rancheria Campground - Pioneer Mail Picnic Area (10.4 miles)
I had a leisurely morning in camp and then headed into the Mt. Laguna town area. There wasn't much to it - just a post office, lodge, restaurant, bar, and outdoor gear shop. I think there are about 25 year-round residents in Mt. Laguna. Bryce and I were reunited with Extra Credit, Carl, and Kayla outside the grocery. I did my resupply shopping and grabbed some milk, yogurt, and fruit to munch on right away. I'm making an effort to get as much calcium as possible when I'm in towns, as I'm not consuming much on the trail. After grocery shopping, I moseyed over to a shady shop by the visitors center and then proceeded to wander around town way too much. I hit the gear shop in search of new Super Feet. No dice on the Super Feet, but I was able to buy a Stickpik which I'd regretted not picking up at the kick-off. The Stickpik is pretty cool - it lets me attach my camera to the tip of my trekking pole, making it easy for me to take pictures (or video) of myself.
After leaving the gear shop, I stopped in at the restaurant but didn't eat and then headed back to the store for more treats. Probably around 1:00, Bryce and I hit the trail. The first stretch felt long. Perhaps because we were setting out in the heat of the day and we were fully loaded with food. However, the scenery was great. We spent a lot of time hiking along or just below a high ridge (probably about 6000 feet) with the Anza Borrego Desert down below on our right. It looked beautiful but very lonely.
After reconvening with the crew at a water stop, Bryce and I pushed on, hoping to make it to the Pioneer Mail Trail Head before stopping for dinner. The rest of our group made an early dinner and planned to meet us at Pioneer Mail. After the break, I turned on some tunes, and they made all the difference. The miles started flying by. We've now stopped for the night at Pioneer Mail. We weren't expecting to camp here as it's usually a day use only area, but a ranger stopped in and told us thru-hikers were welcome to crash for the night. We were more than happy to take advantage of the offer, as there's a horse trough nearby with water.
Hasta Marana! Hope everyone is doing well.
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