8 metallic poles in a thunder storm

Mile 210 / KM 338
Idyllwild to Ziggy and the Bear

Song stuck in my head: ‘Lee Anne’ by Imperial State Electric 
I miss: Any kind of bubbly drink

Yesterday was crazy. We hitched out of Idyllwild, back to the trail head and started walking up the hill. After 2 weeks of only seeing cactuses and prickly bushes the landscape all of the sudden changed, to what looked like something out of a Canadian post card. I loved it! Finally cold fresh air and pine trees. After about 5 hours of climbing we reached a safety hut close to the summit (3400m) right before it started to hail. So out of the desert into a hail storm. What the actual fuck. But that wasn't it. Next, a thunder storm rolled in, while we were descending on the other side of San Jacinto. We were 4 hikers running around on a mountain, in a thunder storm, while each of us having two metallic poles in their hands. Great combo. We all made it out alive without getting struck by lightning.

What followed after, were probably my favourite miles on the hike so far. I was looking at the desert down below in the valley, while walking through snow. It was priceless. 

I’m camping at Ziggy and the Bears tonight and I’m in love with this place. Such sweet people. I also did my secon 20+ mile day yesterday and doing big days is finally starting to feel somewhat normal.