Mile 101-110 Barrel Springs to Warner Springs

Day 11
Got up at 4am.

That needed its own paragraph.
On the trail by 5.10am. Which happened to be a bit early since it was still dark and we inched along like slugs till daybreak. It was only 8 miles down a gentle slope to Warner Springs. Beautiful rolling pastoral scenes, amazing old oak trees, artfully placed giant boulders, bubbling streams, and poison oak.

Arrived at Warner Community Centre at around 9am in time for the PCT hikers $5 breakfast. The community has also set up a laundry, shower and computer services.

Actually I'm missing out the bit where I went 100 yds off the trail to take a picture of an old car, then some blue jays and ASSumed Tracy would continue and we'd meet at the beginning of the road not too far away. Thing is she wasn't there, I shouted her name loudly but not too desperately since I was next to a fire station and didn't want them involved at this stage. I heard nothing so I quickly power walked across the road to see if she'd gone on to the community centre. Not there, so I dumped my pack and ran back to the trail. I checked under the bridge and was relieved not to see her dead body. I started running back along the trail and then finally I heard my name being called with the kind of passion I've only ever heard in Portuguese fado songs. We sonically located each other.
We now have a new rule. If I ever go off the trail, I need to come back on the trail at that SAME point. Tracy will be waiting there, on that VERY spot. She won't have moved. She won't have wandered off to file her nails. We have to stay within visual range at ALL TIMES.

The community centre was full and we breakfasted with other hikers. Lots of hikers have been given or have adopted trail names. It's a thru hiker thing. We thought about Mingin' and Manky but didn't want to have to explain these Scottish words for dirty every time. I gave Tracy the name Running Commentary for obvious reasons. However since the beginning of the trail she hasn't said much. She and Beth gave me the name Deer Crossing after the prancing warning signs you see on the highway. So far we have been going with just Ingrid and Tracy.

Anyhow talked with a guy named Drama Queen at breakfast and he said he'd hiked with the Adonis guy I mentioned yesterday. His trail name is ...Smooth Operator.

Tracy's mom, Karen had driven half the country to meet us at the community centre and after our laundry was done we drove off to a nice RV park near Julien. According to the GPS and google maps our destination was a dirt bank at the side of the road. Fortunately we weren't deceived by this and finally found the site and set up camp. We then took a quick ride into Julien to pick up some free pie for PCT hikers at Mom's pie shop (the four berry pie was delish) and bought pork and veggies for dinner.