Day 5:
Warner Springs
2,540 Miles To Go
Belle
For most, backpacking invokes visions of wandering through forests of pine trees beneath majestic mountains, or alongside flowing rivers as deer and squirrels play in fields of wildflowers. For much of the PCT, you’d be correct. But that isn’t the only type of forest.
The Cleveland National Forest is a rather arid environment. It gets some moisture flowing in off the Pacific Ocean, making it not as blistering hot as the Cleveland Desert the forest borders. Still, the temperature has been pushing ninety degrees the past few days, especially when we dip into the Anza-Borrego Desert. Dry green chaparral covers most of the rocky tan and gray landscape. However, there’s plenty of beauty when you take the time to notice. Such as the yellow flowers of the creosote bushes that the ground squirrels like to run under looking for shade. Lucky bastards. All we’ve gotten are a few sparse oak trees and the occasional California Fan Palm.
We reach a pile of boulders known as Eagle Rock that lies along the trail. A dozen other hikers are milling about the popular destination, which is an hour south of the nearest trailhead.
“We have to stop,” I tell the guys, my excitement bubbling over.
Grinder huffs. “Of course we do. Because you don’t have enough pictures of rocks already, right? Do I need to remind you that the post office in town closes at four?”
Nova smacks him on the arm. “Lighten up. We’re only, what, an hour, hour and a half from town? Plenty of time for a few pictures.”
Nova drops his pack, grabbing a sip of water as he pulls out his phone. Bats looks at Grinder, then shrugs, following suit. Grinder stands there, arms crossed, a permanent scowl fixed on his face. I ignore it.
Rounding the side of the pile, the sight that I’ve only seen in pictures comes into view. It doesn’t take a huge stretch of the imagination to make out the emblem of our country there, wings spread out like on the back of a dollar bill. Although the bird is looking to its left, not the right.
Nova joins me, mirroring the smile on my face. “There’s something you don’t see every day.”
“All natural. No one stacked it, carved it, or did anything to it.”
“Hand me your phone? I’ll take your picture in front of it.”
After handing Nova my phone, I wait for my turn to stand in front of the formation, spreading my arms wide and turning my head to the left, mirroring the formation behind me.
Bats joins Nova, nodding as he appreciates the formation. Nova snaps a few more pictures, then Bats snags my phone. “Get over there. If that’s okay, Belle?”
“Sure,” I reply, stepping to the side to make room for Nova. We do a couple poses, including a few silly ones, because Nova always has a fun vibe about him.
“Grinder, get over here,” Bats barks out. Grinder steps around the corner of the formation a moment later, his pack still on his back. “Take a few shots of us.”
Grinder shoots Bats an annoyed glare. “Fucking hell. You too?”
“The faster you take the picture, the faster we can go,” Bats replies, rolling his eyes.
Grinder lets out an exasperated sigh, but he takes the phone and waves Bats over to join us. Bats has barely turned around when Grinder snaps a shot. “There. Let’s go.”
“A good shot,” Bats retorts. “And for that, you’re taking one with us.”
Grinder’s lip twitches as he takes a few more shots in quick succession. “There. A good picture.” He marches over, slapping the phone into my palm. “Make it quick, princess.”
“Sorry for wanting to take a few shots to remember the trip,” I say, stepping away to get a good angle.
“Wait,” Grinder snaps. “Why does she need our picture?”
“Let her take the picture, Grinder,” Nova tells him.
Grinder crosses his arms. “Give her your phone, then.”
Nova shakes his head as he walks over to me, holding out his phone. “Don’t sweat it,” Nova tells me. “I’ll trade you for the lupine photo you took earlier.”
I snicker. “Really?”
“It was a beautiful shot. Maybe if I’m lucky, you’ll share a few more beautiful shots with me?” It occurs to me he hasn’t let go of his phone, his fingertips brushing against my skin, giving me a tingling sensation. And that maybe he might not be asking for pictures of lilacs and poppies.
I bite my lip to suppress a giggle, shrugging a single shoulder. “Maybe,” I answer. He gives me a playful smirk before he turns and hurries back to stand with his two best friends. I line up the shot, then shoot a Grinder-worthy scowl at the asshole. “Come on, Grinder. Smile.”
“Why?”
“Maybe because you’re on the trip of a lifetime with your two best friends?” I suggest.
Bats smacks his grouchy friend. “Smile, dude. Or I tell her about that one time when . . .” His voice trails off, loud enough for only Grinder to hear. And Nova, who erupts in raucous laughter. Hmm . . . Well, now I’m curious.
“Fine,” Grinder spits out. He takes a deep breath, letting it out in a huff, but he obliges, smiling like he’s relaxed and having the time of his life. I don’t know why, but when I see that smile, I like it. Maybe my brain is taking a break? It’s the only logical explanation.
After a few more quick shots, another hiker steps up next to me. “Would you like a shot of the four of you?”
Nova nods with enthusiasm. Bats too, with a slight tilt up at the corner of his lips. Grinder, as expected, looks exasperated. Which means we’re doing it. “Thanks,” I tell the woman, handing her Nova’s phone. I move over to stand in front of Bats, putting on my best smile.
“Big smiles now. Perfect,” the woman directs as she takes a few quick shots.
As soon as she’s done, Grinder breaks off, heading for his pack. “Can we go now?”
Bats and I head for our packs as Nova retrieves his phone. Grinder is a good dozen yards down the path when Nova gets to his pack. Bats helps him with it, then turns to follow Grinder.
“Got your phone?” Nova asks, tightening his hip belt. I hand it to him as we start down the path. A few minutes later, he’s done transferring photos between our devices and he hands mine back. “There you go.”
A smile crosses my face as I scroll through the pictures, including a couple landscape photos I wasn’t expecting. “Thanks. You got all the shots you wanted?”
“For now,” he tells me with a wink. “Come on. Before Grinder gets too upset with us.”
I laugh as I follow Nova down the trail. Before I put my phone away, I pull up the group photo. Me standing in front of Bats with Nova and Grinder flanking me. All of us are smiling, even Grinder, which somehow doesn’t strike me as odd. I tuck the device away, but that picture stays stuck in my mind. Me and the guys. I don’t know where I fit in with these strangers, but somehow, it feels right.
***