PCT Day 25

Miles: 0

Photo: Juice in Big Bear


Last night I was so exhausted that I barely slept. It’s a good thing I had planned a zero day today. Despite my lack of sleep, I still had a good breakfast, got my best in-town food resupply yet, and got to hang out with other hikers. The usual stuff. 

Once I was wrapped up in town, Tiana & Stacy - the trail angels who are housing me in Big Bear - picked me up. I did my little hiker chores like cleaning my water filter, opening my mail, and just getting prepared for the next stretch of the hike. I assisted them with some of their stuff like stacking up firewood from the neighbor's house, fixing some technical issues with their phones, and just trying to help out where I could. It always feels nice to rest up in a real home after several days of backpacking. I was told that these experiences are harder and harder to find the more you get up the trail so I’m trying to embrace the magic now while I can. 

I’ve only been to Big Bear once and that was back in 2019. They’ve since made a trolley line that takes you around town for free! You just hop on and it loops you around various stops in town until you get where you need to be. Was oddly a highlight of my day since it had a similar vibe to the transit line in Zion and Disneyland. I was told it’s in a trial run and will keep operating if public perception is positive. I’m rooting for the Big Bear Trolley!

My feet are in surprisingly good shape after what I put them through yesterday. I felt like I could’ve hiked another full day if I had my normal rest. As my Dad put it, it seems like I’m getting my “hiker legs”. All I can say is that yesterday my feet told me to keep going so that’s what I did. I’m just gonna keep listening to what my body tells me. If that means low miles for a day, then sure. If it means more and more miles, I’m gonna send it. I am making sure to get too excited and overexert myself now when I’m not 100% ready. There’s still a lot of time for me to get where I need to go.



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