Two Carries and a Lacey

This weekend we were invited along on a hike to Kitchen Creek with optional waterfall. We agreed to meet at the Park & Ride at 9am and I was shocked to be the first one there. So was Carrie. But I didn't see her and she didn't see me, and I was just about to take a photo of the park & ride sign in my lot to counter hers when my indisputable proof showed up. Sidian the hiking dog was in the front seat ready to go. I let Carrie know Sidian had showed up and she crossed over to meet us. Jo'l pulled in a couple minutes later and we made a quick stop at Starbucks for coffee and opportunistic bathroom use before we got going. 
For some people who have read this blog for a bit you may have noticed a certain resemblance between my friends. Carrie and Jo'l are in fact related. Everywhere we go I take delight in answering "yes!" along with them when people ask "are you sisters?" just to see the confusion on peoples faces because one of these things is certainly not like the other. So keep that in mind when you imagine this:
The barista came out from behind the counter with breakfast sandwiches in hand and looked over the stickers "Two Carries and a Lacey!"  We burst out laughing as she stared confused at two nearly identical women dressed the same and one who didn't match at all.

 

From there we drove up past Sunrise Highway to Kitchen Creek Road and drove to the trailhead passing snow at lower elevations than I've ever seen. This is a part of the PCT and I was gleeful at the chance to wander through the winter scene and feel the snow crunch under my boots. I swapped back to my Oboz for the day given that they're waterproof and was ready for the cold hike, it proved to be a good decision as the others had some soggy shoes by the time we were done.

Despite all of the snow on the ground I warmed up fast and shed my layers in a hurry. Normally I'm really good about taking my layers off without stopping, but the path was icy, there were rocks under the snow, and there was a cliff on one side. I could see myself trying to remove my puffy jacket without pausing to save a few seconds and tumbling over the side to break a leg 34 days before we're set to leave. Sidian got tired of waiting behind me on the hills pretty quickly and I stepped aside to let anyone left go past while I stuffed my puffy jacket and base layer into my pack. 

I don't know how to convey how special snow is to a San Diegan, we almost never see it and when we do it's all in Julian and Cuyamaca and it's gone in a day or two and full of the entire county rushing to see it. We saw only two other people all day and it was a wonderful stretch after so much time inside between being sick and not being able to hike last weekend. 

We really indulged while we had the opportunity to enjoy it. Please note the way that we're making the most normal and graceful snow angels like regular people. 

On the way back the snow had started to melt along the trail and the crunching feeling beneath my feet had been replaced by very slippery icy mud with a tiny stream starting downhill. Picking my way downhill so that I didn't slip the wrong way and pull my hip out, I started to fall behind again until things evened out. 

After we got back to the car we drove up toward kitchen creek to see the water flowing before heading back to the park & ride. After we picked up all the cars we went for Himalayan food and chatted about making a plan for plan tickets this week. Next week should be 17 miles!