The storm (Mount Laguna)
The next morning, upon waking up, I decided to wait for the general store to open to have breakfast. My legs were a bit stiff, and I had a very restless night due to jet lag and dogs howling in the campground. Once I devoured my breakfast burrito, I headed to Mount Laguna.
The trail passed through the Boulder Oaks. The effects of climate change were apparent, and even the tall trees were not spared, slowly dying one by one. I met new people (Alex, Nick, Evan) and reunited with Kiki. It was my first real camping experience in the wilderness, and I hung my food bag not so much for bears but for mice that were reported on the Farout app.
The next day, I left at dawn, walking in the morning with Evan, getting to know him. Chatting was easy and we were hoping to arrive in Mount Laguna before noon to enjoy lunch there. I had not booked any accommodation, which turned out to be a mistake. Availability was limited in Mount Laguna, and everything was taken as a possible storm approached. On top of that, the french bakery was closed. I had to accept my fate and get coffee at the general store. I also tried my first ever pop tard. I checked the Garmin app, and the weather forecast indicated 25 km/h winds. I felt adequately prepared to face those conditions, so I set off alone, thinking that people were exaggerating. I didn’t want to stay in a city that was rejecting me.
People were not exaggerating.
Soon after i left the city, the storm broke. First rain poured over me as i rushed to get to a camp spot. Then started the winds, up to 80 km/h, and then, from one in the morning, snow. The wind kept blowing down my tent and I spent a sleepless night re-staking it to keep it standing and periodically pushing the walls to knock off the snow.
In less than three days, I went from suffering from heatstroke to being caught in a snowstorm. Finally, the next morning, I managed to sleep for an hour or two. The storm was over, and I didn't get too cold, although everything was a bit damp in the early morning.
