Today we planned to take some back roads into Mt Laguna. The drive in to Kitchen Creek area is very scenic. We stop at the Cibbets campground to see where Alan and Nicole spent Wed. night. They actually stayed about 3 miles above the campground at Kitchen Creek. We went on up the road hoping to get to the Sunrise Hwy only to find out that the Kitchen Creek rd and Fred canyon rd has been closed by the boarder patrol as they have been deemed high smuggling routes. We were disappointed and had to turn around and go back the same way we came in. We then took the Sunrise Hwy into Mt Laguna area and then the Thing road in hopes of catching up with Alan and Nicole at the PCT junction. When we get to the junction we find out from other thru hikers that Alan and Nicole are a head of us. Again we turn around and drive back to the Sunrise Hwy and go to the Desert View Picnic area where we pick up the PCT and hike down it hoping to meet Alan and Nicole. It is a very nice day for a leisurely hike. Plenty of clouds and some sun, nice and cool. We stopped at one of the trails that goes through the Burnt Rancheria campground and have lunch. Just as we were starting to hike again, here comes Alan and Nicole. It was great to see them. We hiked with them back to the picnic area and took them to the Pine house for some food and beer. We were able to talk them into coming back to Lake Jennings with us for the night.We had a nice barbecue with plenty of wine and good hiking stories. I opened my bottle of Paulina sparkling wine and we toasted each others journey. They enjoyed nice hot showers and a comfy warm bed to sleep in. What a great night.
4/18
Up early Friday morning to take them back to the Desert view picnic area to make up the miles they missed on Thurs. Joe goes with them and I drive over to the El Prado campground hiking in is beautiful even though it was recently burned. Many flowers and bushes are coming back to life which is great to see. I was surprised to see one lone house that some how managed to avoid the fire. The area around the house was completely burned, it was like a little oases in the middle of the burn. I meet up the Joe, Alan and Nicole about half way through the burn area and hike back to the truck with them. We were almost there when we hear someone calling, it is Bryon Green, the first to arrive from the Yuma group coming to camp with Alan and Nicole on Friday night. We go back to the El Prado campground and pick out two sites for everyone to camp. Shortly after we arrive Steven and Kaysha arrive. Tents get set up and we go to the Pine House to eat lunch. We start out as a group of 7 but before long we are a group of 12 as other thru hikers that Alan and Nicole have met join us. Once we finish lunch we go back to the campground and just hang out. Alan invited every thru hiker he saw to join our camp. It was great fun hanging out with everyone and hearing their stories. It was getting late and time for Joe and I to head back to Lake Jennings, so we say our goodbyes and wish Alan and Nicole a safe journey. We will not see them again until we return to Yuma at the end of Nov.
Joe, Alan and Nicole
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