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Location where trail completed Santa Clara River RR Tracks

Sunday morning I woke up on time and was hiking by 7am. I have come to not making breakfast at camp. It is usually cold and I want to get going. So, I hike for a couple hours then stop to eat somewhere pleasant as the sun has had a couple hours to take the edge off the cold.

From North Fork the trail drops out of the pines and the national forest for good as we enter chaparral country. By noon I had cranked out 11 miles and I knew I was going to finish this section today. I was in a very very very good mood.

The trail crossed a creek where Paul told me I was going to see the largest lion tracks he had ever seen. I did indeed see the tracks and they were huge. This freaked me out for about a mile of walking until I played the tracks back in my head. I found another set and determined that they were from a very large dog, perhaps a Great Dane, or of similar size. They were not cat tracks. Knowing I was less likely to be a meal, I relaxed again.

Eventually the trail crosses a Rail Road Track in the valley where the medallion is showing the location where the north part of the PCT was eventually joined with the South. This was the place where the final link was made between Mexico and Canada. This section of trail ends with a jaunt through Vasquez Rocks National Park. I love a trail that has one big surprise left for you at the end of the day. The rocks were incredible. I would have taken pictures, but I had used up my memory in my camera with the videos.

I rolled into Agua Dulce Canyon Rd and Darling Rd at 2:45. Eighteen miles before 3pm. That is a good day. I went to my car and wrapped up this section. I was in tremendous pain from the effort, but really happy. Once again, I was a hiker.

Entry 18 of 18
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