M-I-C-K-E-Y--M-O-U-S-E

Still Truckin'

Dad: “Zac, where are you?” Zac: “I’m in the hospital.” Dad: “What??!!” Zac: “I’m at the hospital in Cedar Glen taking a break. The weather is pretty bad right now and I came in here to charge my phone and rest a little.” Dad: “Not funny Zac.”

Zac left his hiking group and took a detour to Cedar Glen to check his mail and to see if his clothes arrived. He said he had been wearing the same T shirt and long sleeve shirt for the past week and a half. He did wash it once he said. He plans to check his mail then head out as soon as he can tomorrow. The nurses there were very nice to him. They let him hang out in the waiting room and even watched his pack while he went into town to get supplies. They told him he could shower there too before leaving, which he gladly took them up on. Camping was going to cost him $18 and that was too steep for just one little tent. He said that there was an old National Forest service building/shed on the edge of town that he might stay in. He checked it out and said the roof has some big holes and it looked like it has not been in use for quite some time. He also said he might just camp in the woods depending on the weather. He said it looked like the weather was about to dump on him. He said that the shed looked sort of spidery. And if you know Zac you know how he feels about spiders, the camping in the woods might be where he sleeps tonight rain or no rain. He also told me that there was a forest service truck in the shed that was unlocked and he is considering sleeping in the cab. His last spot sent was 34.25416,-117.17288.

The other day Zac was getting water at the well at Doble trail camp. He was trying to pump the water from the old well and noticed it was making a hissing sound. As he leaned down to see where the noise was coming from he realized the sound was not coming from the well but from a rattlesnake that was situated himself between Zac’s feet. He was saved by his catlike reflexes. OK.... they may not be catlike, remember he was a catcher, but I am sure he was making good time away from that drinking hole. That will be last time he cuts in line at the water fountain.

There are many home town friends who I run into to ask about him. Tim F. and Greg C. said they were pulling for him every step of the way. Tim F. said he was going to meet him on the AT and put in some miles with him. Mike H. says he reads the blog every chance he gets. Relatives are always asking how Zac is getting along and trying to keep up with his trek. Granddaddy keeps up with every bit of information he can squeeze out of me. Steven C. keeps up with the spots and follows along. “Hike Forest hike!”

Desert Flowers

Mystery Box

Zac is having some wardrobe malfunctions. He wanted to lighten his load and mail a box of clothes he did not need to the next P.O. location. It would have been a good plan if the box had actually arrived there. He has tried in vain along with the Postal service to locate the box. He lost a lot of trail time trying to work this out and today he set out without his wardrobe. he has asked the Post office to forward any boxes to the next P.O. office at Cedar Glenn. He has some clothes to wear. There is probably some law against hiking nude and besides that, he could scare away the animals not to mention other hikers. The last spot I received from Zac was 34.28961,-116.88374. He shared a hotel room with a few other hikers last night in Big Bear City. He started out early today trying to find his package and didn't get on the trail until 12:00. I think he will make much better time tomorrow.

Another Video

On The Road Again

After a couple of days off from hiking, Zac is back on his way. This time he is heading north again. He hitched a ride from Idyllwild to interstate 10, Zac hiked the 4 miles to the trail head. He is hiking with a thru hiker from Ga. He told me that a large number of his friends that were in Idyllwild have gone a couple of hundred miles north to leapfrog to the desert. As of the last spot I received Zac was at spot 33.98863,-116.6556. This is very close to Mission Creek Road for those of you with a play book. He plans to be at Big Bear City in three days. His next postal pick up will be in a week at Cedar Glen, Ca 92321. Last time I spoke with him he was in very good spirits and ready to be back on the trail north. I am not sure when I will have Phone contact with him again. I am using the spots he sends me, Google maps and the trail guide book. Putting all three together and calling my nephew from Ga Tech to help correlate my formula, I will give you the best up to date news of his progress I can muster. I have asked for Federal assistance through NASA but I have not heard back from them as of yet. Thank you for keeping an interest in his journey. Next post stop: Zac Finley General Delivery Cedar Glen, Ca 92321

Heading South

Today Zac got a ride from a trail angel named David who lives in Idyllwild up to Cabazon. His plan is to leap frog ahead of the trail north and hike south giving the snow some time to melt. The thru hikers who make it over the pass might leave a good tail in the snow as well. Before heading to Interstate 10 he had a little lunch at Burger King. He ate a Whopper Jr., A-1 steak burger, a chicken sandwich and a Dr. Pepper. I guess if he had gotten a full size Whopper it might make him look like a glutton. He began the 4 mile hike to the HWY 10 from Cabazon when he was picked up by a guy named Tim who was going in that direction. Zac said that he was a really nice guy who was on his way to buy a watch for his son’s birthday. The beginning of the trail he said was very flat. He saw many wind turbines and was enjoying the easy grade. His elevation was 1300 feet there. By the time he set up camp for the night he had climbed to 6800 feet.

Last time I talked to him he was getting ready to go to sleep. The wind was so strong he was afraid his tent would get damaged. The temperature was so cold he could not stand to be outside long enough to cook any dinner so he had a few power bars and was crawling into his sleeping bag. Tomorrow he will decide if he is going to try to make Fuller Ridge or not. He said he had spoken to a thru hiker earlier and was told that Fuller Ridge was in bad shape as far as the trail is concerned. I guess we will have to wait and see.

I received a photo card from Zac today that has video and pictures. I will try my best to figure out how to add some of these to the blog. The videos were amazing. He wanted me to mention some of the people he had met along the way. Their names are: Uncle Tom, The Mayor, Psycho, Apricots, Train, and Axilla. There are more, but these are the ones he could remember at the moment.