Friday 24 August 2018

Again we take our time, enjoying the morning as other campers pass by and wave on their way out. Last night we heard coyotes yapping. This morning we see several “invisi-bunnies” in the brush. I also see a doe and a stag bounding down the hillside. We finally leave our camp at 10 am hiking along the coast trail. At some points along the trail we hike right along the cliff edge. Pelicans fly in formation at eye level with us. We stop for a brief rest after 3.5 miles under a giant eucalyptus tree. In another 0.8 miles we reach the trail junction with Bear Valley. Here we turn away from the coast and climb gradually upward through a dark tunnel of trees. In another mile we reach a junction with the trail to Glen Camp, today’s destination.

O and I sit down to enjoy our lunch. A couple of day hikers and two women on horseback go down the trail we just came up. After about 40 minutes the day hikers return. They ask if we came from the coast. We say yes. They then ask how we got past the huge tree blocking the trail. We are shown photos of the tree. Soon the riders return as well with the same question. Apparently we were quite lucky to be past the tree and not under it or behind it when it fell. O and I assume the day hikers will report the trail blockage to the rangers on their way out. Tomorrow is Saturday and there will be many disappointed hikers if they can’t get to their destination.

After lunch O and I complete the last mile and a half to Glen Camp. We have a beautiful site under a spreading pine. As we cook and eat our dinner a cold ocean fog drifts in. It’s getting dark early under these trees.