20240613 Wrightwood to Lake Isabella (mile 653)

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Writing this from Lake Isabella where we are staying at the Kern Motel, so named for the river Kern which flows down south from the Sierra through this way. The area has seemingly seen better days. At the gas station slash liquor store, the shelves seemed empty of most things, apart from energy drinks (four new looking fridges, stacked with colourful cans and humming loudly), fish bait, and dick pills. The vibe was upbeat enough and the spotty teen behind the counter was holding himself well against the seemingly endless onslaught of requests and retributions from the customers coming in and out. I purchased four Evians and a small bottle of Jim Beam and headed back to the laundromat where Grace waited with Two Books and Big Shrimpin’ (trail names now becoming the standard way of referring to anybody). In the blazing heat I was glad that we had made it down off the hills, even if the town displayed all the hallmarks of a place grown a bit too comfortable with its methamphetamine usage. It really felt like we were out in the heart of the desert now, which felt strange given the enormous lake for which the town took its name, and the knowledge that we had got off trail to hitch a ride here at Walker Pass - typically seen by many to be the official end of the desert section.

Wrightwood on dkcrw

20240613 Wrightwood to Lake Isabella (mile 653)