Hello Everyone,

I am sending you an update on my trek, day 13, Wednesday, April 23.

I am laying in my tent of course next to an old abandon shack at Little Lake, just a few hundred yards from US 395. Today I trekked 19.53 miles, in about 8 hours and 12 minutes. As usual, I went a little longer than I had planned because I knew there were some nice places at Little Lake to camp. I would like to set up early, before four, so I can enjoy the evening.

Last night the winds stopped blowing around eleven which allowed me to relax and get the best sleep in the tent since I started. The morning was beautiful and it was about 52 degrees, with no wind.

My heel had bothered me all day yesterday and I spent some time rewrapping it with two larger Bandaid Blister Bandage, Mole Skin, and then duct tape this morning. It helped a little but still hurt and I found myself limping to take the pressure off it. I struggled with it all day today and just forced myself to try and walk through it. It such a small thing, yet it can be pretty painful. I am hoping it feels better tomorrow?

I was still feel positive this morning about ending my day after the visit to the Indian Wells Brewery. I was less than a mile away and was tempted to go back for a free something or other this morning. It’s funny but most people, well maybe me a little more than most, like to get free stuff. Ok, I admit I really like free stuff, and I like to barter. It was actually more than just the free beer or root beer that was great. The brewery is really not a tour place and I got a tour. That was fun.

I decided to skip my usual boring breakfast of grape nuts, powdered milk, and a bit of coco for flavor. I know, sounds weird. I eat a full cup, and if you know Grape Nuts, it’s dense. It’s like a lead weight in my pack. I really like to pack on those carbs in the morning to keep me going. I like oatmeal but you have to heat up water and it is just too light and leaves me hungry after a few hours. I knew there was a Subway close on 395 and decided that I’d just get something there. I am not a great fan but after my usual Grape Nuts, whole wheat tortillas and almond butter, and various healthy bars, I just wanted some fruit and whatever. I thought it was only two miles or so and turned out to be nine.

I started on Highway 14 and had a hard time walking and it took me a half hour to walk the mile downhill to where it merges into US 395. There is a gas station/store at the junction and I decided to see if they had any fruit. I walked in and I saw the lady behind the counter with one hand running the register, and at the same time holding a phone with the other and screaming angrily at someone on the line. Sounded like a spouse? Maybe he cheated on her?

The only other person in the store was a short, slightly portly man, and with a straw hat on. I am standing there next to him with my straw hat on too, so I thought, maybe we have something in common? No, he looked like some type of intellect, professor, scientist, nuclear physicist, etc. He politely asked me what I was doing here? I told him, and he just blurted out, “I am an archeologist.” Man, did I hit it the nail on the head. He went right out to his car and came back with some literature on the California Rock Art Foundation, which he is involved with. His name is Alan Garfinkel Gold. Interesting, half hour into my trek and I already found some strange and interesting people.

I was glade that I finally reached 395 because at that point there is also a frontage road that runs parallel to 395 for eleven miles. It was pure heaven to be on a wide two lane road with no traffic. Well, two cars did passed me the whole eleven miles.

I made it to Subway, nine miles later. It was noon by the time I got there and it was packed. It was interesting to see everyone in such a hurry and so matter of fact. Not what you’d expect on a highway where most people were probably coming or going from a vacation. Maybe it’s because my pace is so slow now? They did have bananas and I got my sub with egg for protein.

I hit the frontage road again and found it very relaxing not having to think about traffic. It really gave me a chance to look around, down, and everywhere. Something you definitely don’t do in a car. I saw several cactuses in blooming and was thinking of my Mother and Father and how they would have loved seeing them since they grew them as a hobby.

I then saw this strange looking Joshua tree, on what I thought was an abandon property right off of the road. As I got closer I realized that it was a sculptured Joshua tree made out of horseshoes. It was great and I wanted it! The property looked abandoned? There were two little shacks on the property and they sure looked vacant with broken windows. I saw a very nice house next door on a large property and I thought I’d go ask if they knew anything about the property. Of course the whole place was fenced and with warning signs everywhere. There was a buzzer at the gate that I tried and I also tried yelling towards the house. I guess people that live out in the desert, whether here or on Gaskill Road, want to be left alone and tend to be a little off the grid. I might go back one day and try again.

I made fairly good time even with my limp because the road was mostly level, with some up hills towards the end of the day. I was getting tired and would have stopped but keep thinking Little Lake was closer. I have seen a spot on the east side of the road that was full of trees and at times had water in a pond area. When I finally got there I realized that it was fenced with barbed wire and posted as part of the wildlife reserve. Little Lake itself is also part of the wildlife reserve.

When I realized I couldn’t camp there, I continued up to where the old Little Lake Hotel use to be. Little Lake Hotel was a stopping place for many rich and famous people back in the thirties to sixties. Many western movies were filmed in the mountains around Lone Pine and Independence and therefore many movie stars stayed at Little a Lake. It was one of the places John Wayne would stay. I still remember stopping here a few times to look at what was left of old hotel building until it burned down in the eighties?

I was looking for a spot that was protected from the wind and found this old building directly across from the old hotel. I am not sure if it was part of the hotel. I found some dry ponds and drain pipes here that maybe part of the system for the hotel. The area is surrounded by many ponds as it is all part of the natural spring that feeds Little Lake. I was happy to find this spot since it seems protected from the wind. Then again, the sign directly across from Robber’s Roost said Gusty Wind Area Next Twenty Miles, and this is past twenty miles, so there should not be any wind. I think I saw a sign that said, “You Are Now Leaving The Twenty Mile Gusty Wind Area.”

Oh, weather does not look good for Friday. Rain is expected. Darn! But, I bet it will keep your interest in my blog Friday night to see how it goes.

Hope to keep you updated tomorrow.

Best to all, and please keep good thoughts, prayers, and blessings, going my way,
Ted

Next Post: Day 14