Adapt and overcome is the motto for today.

A few days ago, we were supposed to pick up a package in Warner Springs, containing our microspikes and ice axes for the upcoming San Jacinto mountains.

The package never arrived (It was sitting in a warehouse in San Diego.), so we had UPS update the delivery address further up trail to Paradise Valley Cafe, a popular spot for thru hikers about a mile off the trail. We intended to hike a mile off trail, grab a bite to eat, pick up our package and hike the mile back to continue into the mountains.

But in the words of Mike Tyson “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”…

We woke up early, so we could hike the five miles to the road, then another mile to Paradise Valley cafe.

Our morning routine went well…until we tried to pull the last tent stake. It would not come out of the ground. I tried everything, kicking it, pulling from different angles and digging around it. Soon, we had a hole almost as deep as the stake was long, but it held fast! Eventually, I was able to scrape away at the last layer of concrete-like dirt to free the stake, now appropriately known as Excalibur!

Despite our late start, it was a nice hike into the cafe, cool with great views.

The cafe had a breakfast beer section! We ate plates of delicious breakfast and waited on UPS. The patio soon filled up with other hungry hikers

We started to get a little nervous around noon when we checked the tracking number and it said “status not available”… eventually the UPS driver showed up. He did not have our package…

We called UPS and were told that our package is essentially missing. It didn’t make it to the hub and UPS couldn’t account for it.

At this point, it was almost 3pm when we decided to hitchhike into Idyllwild to buy new microspikes and ice axes, then hitch back to the trail, and hopefully find a place to camp before dark.

Just as we put our packs on to leave the cafe, we saw a van stopping to pick up some other hikers trying to hitchhike across the road. We sprinted over and were able to tag along.

We went to Nomad Ventures and were able to pick up the gear we needed. As we were leaving, I struck up a conversation with a woman heading into the store about the trail. She was preparing for her upcoming thru hike next month. She generously offered to give us a ride as soon as she was done.

So back to the trail we went! The terrain was different from the morning: large rock walls, boulders and towering pines.

And huge pine cones!

We stopped to gather water from a stream that was no longer flowing but still had some water in it.

We made it to camp and got the tent set up just before dark. It was only about a 10 mile day but not bad for being in town from about 9-5!