April 25
We took a few pictures and said our good byes with me almost in tears. I hated losing my trail brothers as I had gotten accustomed to relying on them, but I had them on borrowed time. I appreciated the fact that they both had families at home that had their own agendas. I felt an immense loss when they packed up and drove off.

I called Burton and told him how I felt and he suggested that I get right out on the trail and I did just that! Issy and I drove to Tehachapi Willow Springs Road and saddled up to ride south towards Tylerhorse Canyon.

While we were at the trailer a gal pulled up in the next parking lot so I went over to see if they were also heading south but Deb said they wanted to ride on towards Hwy 58 (the section I did last year) so we just chatted for a few minutes with Deb telling me not to miss the wild horses.

I quickly mounted once I was safe from the road and came upon a camp of several tents set up right off the trail.

I had to ride very close to them to cross Oak Creek, but was rewarded with good graze and the shade of huge white oaks.

It was too nice to pass up so Issy grazed for 15 minutes and then we moved up along the canyon wall following it for about 3 miles.

We passed wind turbines and switchbacked our way upward as I looked for the wild horses.

All at once Issy’s head bolted up and I knew he saw them, but they were on the far canyon wall at least a mile from us. The dark brown horses are reportedly descendants of the survivors of horses lost by Spanish explorers and are the last of the wild herds to roam the Antelope Valley. I tried to get a picture but they were too far away for a good shot. I was able to catch a photo of a horned toad

and some California Poppies (the official state flower.)

April 24
We rested until around 9 AM with the two mules very happy to be tied to an old hay van and Issy in the portable pen Burton had built for me.

Looking through my camera lens I realized we looked like a band of Gypsies.
But, we were all comfortable and the weather was great with no cold wind since we were on the Mojave Desert floor.

By noon, I saddled up Issy and rode out towards Cottonwood Creek Bridge. I crossed into the Los Angeles & California Aqueducts right of way, massive concrete ditches that allow PCT goers access along it’s berms for 9 miles. Trail hikers and riders can take the dusty roads through residential homes if they prefer. The aqueduct is closed for the most part ferrying water to the millions of consumers in L.A. but not allowing the few hundred hikers or equestrians’ access.

At every road crossing there were 4 sided pipe gates which Issy hated. These fixed in place almost knee high pipe guards were just small enough for a small horse to step through but a bigger horse couldn’t stride through. Issy opted to jump the whole thing and consistently did that very well. It only took 4 of these for me to know that I did not like the risk of potential injury so I turned back for camp. I and decided to ride into Cottonwood Creek from 170th St. later in the afternoon.

When I got back Dick and Gill decided not to go the last 40 miles with me since so much of it was desert. They are going to head home in the morning.

April 23
We left camp around 6:30 knowing that we had a long 27 mile ride today. Gil dropped us off at the base of the Upper Shake Trail. We enjoyed the view of incredible vistas as we followed a small dirt road and climbed from 3900' to 6000' over 5 miles.


The Tehachapi Mountains, known as the precursor for the Sierras were easily recognizable with their snow and canyons shadowing the Antelope Valley below.

We had to stop several times for the animals to get their breath so photo taking time was optimal. Jim seemed to have less trouble than Issy who started to gulp and swallow indicating to me that he was using up his reserves. I jumped off and held up for several minutes until Issy started to think more about grass than air. We finally got to the ridge of Sawmill Mountain and the trail leveled out at about 5,600’.

We stopped at Sawmill Campground & found plenty of graze. Since water had been available for the entire way we relaxed for a good bit letting the animals eat and rest. Camping anywhere along this area would have been great this time of year but it was only 10 AM and we had promised to meet Gill 20 miles down the trail.

We rode the crest passing the way to Atmore Meadows known to be another good camping spot for horses.

We continued along the trail until we got to a big tree which Dick had to cut. Dick had cleared several trees and large limbs along the way but this one required both of us to drag it off the trail.

I had been holding Jim and Issy who were happily munching, so I lightly tied them with enough lead to reach the grass and went to help Dick. We tugged and heaved the fire burned oak. Dick put so much effort into it that his momentum caused him to slip when he stepped over the edge of the trail. I was horrified when he fell realizing our precarious hold to safety was out of balance. Even though I had my SPOT(a personal locator and beacon for emergencies) and my satellite phone, I was slapped in the face with the realization that every day was serious and dangerous. We were miles from help and I sobered up from my dream of just sight seeing.

Luckily, Dick being fit and athletic jumped right up and never missed a beat, but I heeded this warning as often happened on this endeavor. The entire PCT trail cannot be taken with complacency.

While this realization set in Jim decided to head home, back the way we came. I had tied the lead too loose and he pulled himself free. Issy started to paw with envy at Jim’s escape and I ran to be sure we didn’t have two running back down the trail. I secured him and went after Jim who found an especially desirable patch of grass just 500 yards away. Another warning sunk in, knowing that when Issy gets loose he just waves adios!

We mounted up with Dick throwing a cracker in his mouth and continued on passing several snow patches but nothing worth dismounting for.

At almost 5,800’ elevation we left the ridge of Liebre Mountain and started the descent to Pine Canyon Road going through washes and leaving the Black Oaks and fairly level terrain behind.

Spruce and pine fence us in with most scarred from a forest fire a couple of years prior. The dead fall is horrendous and now tinder for yet another fire. We both walked since the erosion was very severe and the tread switchbacked through thick chaparral and brush.

I got stopped on a very narrow portion of the trail by a small tree lying diagonally across the track blocking our way. It was shoulder high on the up hill side and then dropped off over the cliff downward. The tread was far too narrow to turn Issy and let Dick come up and cut it so I pulled out my saw and begin the arduous task of sawing. I dreaded this type of work since I broke my collar bones and every pull was a reminder of Port’s fall 400 miles and a year behind us.

Mercifully, the tree succumbed to my Fiskar in short order. We passed several more impediments and got to 3,900’ where we found a very good flat area for camping that the trailers could have accessed through Pine Canyon Road.

It was 3:30 so we continued on looking for Cow Spring and were rewarded with a wonderful, fresh flowing creek.

Issy and Jim pulled us to the cold pool with Jim almost taking Dick for a swim. We crossed Pine Canyon Road to the trailhead and decided to rest and allow the animals to graze for 30 minutes.

I was confused by the trail location since it appeared to go up the road. It actually took off northwest (which Dick located with the help of a cyclist who came along.)

From this point we had what I thought was an easy 6 miles but it turned out that I had misjudged the elevation changes and we worked our way up and down several sand trails until we finally shot straight to Gil who had Dick’s trailer waiting at Barnes Ranch Road. By now it was 7 PM and Dick and Gil still had to go get Jed and my trailer. A long day, ended safely at 11 PM, with all of us very tired.

April 22
As predicted another day of riding lost to cold, snowy weather.

April 21
I was about to go stir crazy from waiting out the weather so I decided to walk a few miles of the next section. If the snow piled up I would only have to worry about myself and not Issy. I left camp around 9 with my Wal-Mart walking sticks and my waist pack hoping to get out and back before the predicted noon storm hit. I climbed the first finger of Sawmill Mountain gaining elevation quickly. My climb was interrupted when I spotted the mouth of a tunnel,

one of three I was to pass and later found out they were graphite mines. The first one really pulled me to enter but as I shot a photo I felt like someone just might be home and since I was alone and on foot I thought better of spelunking in case I couldn’t outrun the resident cougar or bear.

Two more tunnels tempted me before the rain turned to sleet then snow and I had to retrace my path and head back to the safety of camp. I was able to get a few photos of the grand valley and mountains before the weather closed in on me.

I was satisfied that I had covered enough of the 7 miles not to have to redo it tomorrow or whenever the weather was obliging enough to allow us to continue.

April 19
April 20

Bad weather including SNOW kept us in camp these two days.

April 18

With only a short 8 miler on today's schedule, we worked around camp with Jed who seemed to me to be a kind and good natured mule.

Jed stands an impressive 15+ hands with lots of bone for carrying his panniers. We pulled out of camp around 10 to head back to San Francisquito Canyon Road and in just a little over a mile we had to climb 700’ with me in the lead as usual. While watching the tread in front of us I caught some movement and focused on a rattler stretched out across the trail.

With my camera already out I was able to catch a picture as he moved off the trail into the brush.

Soon the views were spectacular presenting the Antelope valley in full color from the desert poppies beyond Lake Hughes.

We enjoyed this for a few miles traipsing downward to Elizabeth Lake Canyon Road.

We pulled up to the road and found Gil walking towards us to ferry us back to Terry’s.

April 17

Day off. Poor weather. But the day was rescued by a wonderful dinner with a ranch owner who was a L.A. judge.

She was a live wire with lots of energy, visiting and spending time with all of us. We had barbeque smoked in Miss Piggy

(a pit built by Rick and Jennifer, a lovely couple I met last year at Horseshoe Meadows)plus Jennifer's homemade cobbler and home made Root Beer!

April 16

Back to Bouquet Canyon Road, Gill dropped us off for our 13 mile ride to San Francisquito Canyon Road at Green Valley.

We climbed up and down on sand type tread with not much but craggy brush except a view of a grand farm with sprawling fields in the valley below.

We arrived at a trail register where a trail angel had set up real chairs, resting areas and water under the bows of what looked like dwarfed live oak trees.

It was funny how comfortable the chairs felt after only 8 or 9 miles in the saddle! We fed the horses some lunch and rested in the shade for about 30 minutes. There wasn’t any graze for the horses, but they had water just before our rest stop so they ate peacefully and dozed off. With just 6 or 7 miles to go we mounted up and rode down from 4,300’ to 3,000’ along a lovely live oak shaded section

that took us to San Francisquito Canyon Road. There we crossed over to the ranger station where Gil had parked the trailer to haul us back to Terry’s

April 15

We loaded up with Gil dropping us off at Mint Canyon Road on the far end of the town of Agua Dulce. We chose not to ride through town but rather trailer to the trailhead and head northwest from there.

The elevation went from 2,500’ to 3,000’ in no time and we watched the ranchettes grow smaller as we pulled away.

One ranchette stood out as possibly a motion picture setting with part of an airliner all set up. I envisioned a plane scene like many I have seen in the movies. The tread wound along the hillside of several canyons and across a few fire breaks with switch backs teasing me to look over my shoulder at the views of Mt Baden Powell

and even Vasquez Rocks.

We climbed to over 4500’then dropped off towards Bouquet Canyon Road passing through chaparral which included my favorite Manzanita trees.

Covering almost 10 miles in about 4 hours, we arrived ahead of schedule.

When we got onto the road a kind fellow allowed us to put our animals in his round pen to wait for Gil who arrived 30 minutes later.