May 13 & 14, 2018: PCT Mother’s Day

It was a wonderful Mother’s Day for Granny Hat!  Mission called from the trail at around 9:00 am.  I could hear the crunch of the trail as he hiked and talked.  We only had signal for about 5 minutes and then had to exchange some texts.   He slept in ( is usually on the trail by 5:00 am) because it was lightly drizzling and misting and his bag was warm and comfortable.  The weather in the dry San Diego County inland has been kind, in the upper 70’s, sunny but breezy, even heavy winds at times.  He mentioned swarms of bees and at least one rattlesnake along the trail. He told me that God is answering prayer; he is hiking well, experiencing less foot and leg discomfort.

So many of you following this blog expressed that you have been praying for Stephan as he treks.  How I appreciate your concern, prayers and friendship.  He may feel alone on the trail for most of the day but he is certainly NOT alone.  And our dear friend, Broken Arrow, also a 2018 PCT through-hiker was able to relay some good trail advice for Stephan as he is much farther north on the trail.  Advice included how to avoid and beware of Poodle Dog Bush. (more on that when Stephan gets to the Los Angeles range)  Also there are water supply concerns throughout the Mojave Desert and north of there climbing into the Sierras.  It is so valuable to be in contact with someone who has recently hiked where Stephan’s Mission takes him.

Then, my daughter Corrie reminded me about Boomer!  I must write about Boomer.  In 2018 many through-hikers carry cell phones, satellite phone charges, SPOT and other GPS tracking devices.  But in the ’90s when my husband was regularly taking our kids and their friends on backpacks in the Ventana Wilderness and in the Sierras, it was rare to get word home.  Steve would always write a letter or two and send it out of the mountains to the nearest post office with a new backpacker friend who was leaving the trail.  And at least once, Boomer got to go with them for a couple days of the hike.  Boomer was a strong, long-distance Blue-Bar homing pigeon.

Steve built him a special light weight cage that hooked onto the back of his pack and then notes were attached in a tiny canister around Boomer’s leg and he was released to fly home through the gold country, across the San Joaquin Valley, over the Gabilans into San Benito County and home, around 200 miles! He flew for a few days, seems like maybe five days to get home.  But it was so exciting to see him in his aviary with that note still securely fastened.  We have the note somewhere, but Granny Hat can’t find it.  Will add if it surfaces!

Mission has his eyes on these mountains in the distance, he should be walking in the woods soon; San Jacinto range in Riverside County.

God of creation, there at the start, before the beginning of time…

As You speak, a hundred billion galaxies are born,

In the vapor of Your breath the planets form,

If the stars were made to worship so will I,

If the mountains bow in reverence so will I,

If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I,

For if everything exists to lift You high, so will I,

If the wind goes where You send it so will I,

If the rocks cry out in silence so will I,

If the sum of all our praises still falls shy ……

Hillsong