Cactus to Clouds

You will perhaps recall that I did a hike a while back called "Skyline" on Mt. San Jacinto. In my post about that hike, I mentioned that what I REALLY wanted to do was a 21ish-mile hike called "Cactus to Clouds", which starts on the desert floor (approx elevation 500ft) and takes you to San Jacinto Peak (elevation 10,834ft) and then down to the tram station where you get a ride back down to the desert floor.

We started at midnight, on the desert floor. The temperature was about 80F. As we got higher up, it started to cool down, which was definitely welcome.

Chris, Nikkie, Jess, Jordan and Charlie. Only a few miles in. Sweaty.

Coachella Valley

The moon and the lights of the tram again!

The moon before sunrise.

The sky beginning to brighten.

A cool Tetris-y rock. Like, it fits together. But why is it broken anyway?

Coffman's Crag. This time I know the name!

Okay, so we've made it to about 8,600ft/10 miles here. This is basically the point at which we were done (aside from getting to the tram) when we did Skyline. So...the final 2,200ft/11 miles will be a piece of cake........right?

WRONG! This sign is at 9,700ft. About 700ft below this point, I started to feel really strange. The altitude was affecting me and I was feeling really dizzy, breathless, faint and just sort of "drunk". Charlie was also feeling it. I started to worry that if I continued, I was going to pass out and then my friends were going to have to "deal with" me. 

I know it's not flattering, but I think it illustrates my point: I didn't feel well.

Anyway, we kept plugging along and I kept feeling (and acting) weird.

This is an emergency shelter for people who get stuck near the peak of Mt. San Jacinto in snow, etc. 

This is the inside of the emergency shelter.

AND THIS IS THE SUMMIT OF MT. SAN JACINTO!

We're doing the "C2C" thing with our hands. Everyone thought it was a great idea. I just did what they said.

We all made it.

I'm happy! Honestly, I cannot begin to explain how elated I was for days following this.

And then no one wanted to move:

 Some views from the summit (it was pretty hazy):

The hike down was annoying because we were all so tired and 5.5 miles back the way you came feels sort of unfair when you've already summited. It should just be over when you reach the top! Like in video games. Mission accomplished. Next level please.

 Some views on the way down.

Arrogant Bastard Ale at the tram station before heading down.

Tram station. 

Charlie, Nikkie, Chris and I went and got burgers and fries and milkshakes, and if I hadn't been SO HUNGRY (and also apparently drunk off altitude + 1 beer), you would've gotten a big sloppy picture of that, too.

A Tuesday in San Diego...still.

I hung out with my friend, Rafael, today. Also, in the morning, I went running and I almost ran straight into a large SNAKE (my first since coming out here) and I screamed and jumped about five feet in the air and then spent a while laughing at myself.

Then, Rafael and I went to the supermarket near his house, where they have lots of really cool stuff that you can't get in "regular" supermarkets. 

And we also played pool and got some beers.

I'm so bad at this! 

Oh yeah, and James was there, too!

Port of San Diego / Coronado

Today, I spent the day checking out the Port of San Diego and also took a trip over to Coronado.

In keeping with my tradition of taking photographs in front of large iconic statues...

"A National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military"

Yes, the duck is on a leash.

U.S.S. Midway Museum. I didn't go in, but it was cool to look at. It was the longest serving aircraft carrier of the 20th century and, as you can see, there are lots of planes on the deck that I could have checked out if I'd felt like paying to get in.

Bridge to Coronado...

...but I took a ferry!

San Diego from across the bay.

Docking at Coronado.

I walked across Coronado from the bay side over to the ocean side and hung out at the beach for a little while.

It was hard to capture in a photo, but the sand looked like it had flakes of gold in it.

After falling asleep on the beach for a while (and getting a sunburn as a result thereof), I walked back through Coronado and went to the Coronado Brewing Company. I had fully intended on taking photographs of my beer and of the inside of the place, but I was just too distracted by the good beer, the baseball game and all the nice people that I wound up talking to! So, I guess I'll just have to go back...