[pct-l] I-10 Transfers and the Pink Motel

[Bighummel@aol.com]

I picked up Trevor, a friend of Ray's (from England), at LAX on Friday and 
ran him out to Cabazon where we found Ray hanging out at the local Market 
where I had picked up a package twenty three years ago!  Ray is looking 
grizzled and well trail worn but in great English spirits and doing fine.  He 
has been tagged with the trail name of "Virgin" as he is a virgin to this 
long distance hiking thing!  He is planning to write a book titled "Virgin on 
the Crest".

Ray and Skid and Ron Moak and Uphill Wanderer and several others were staying 
at the "Pink Motel" on the north side of I-10 right next to the trail.  The 
"Pink Motel" is best described as two trailers and two hodge podge buildings 
that look like they have been fashioned from a fine selection of the great 
junk accumulated on the property.  The redeeming qualities are that it is 
free, there is a fair stash of excess grains and pasta from other hikers for 
the taking and the view looking back south at San Jacinto is awesome through 
the large picture window.  

Ron Moak was in good spirits however exhausted from a 30+ mile day.  Most 
others were nursing a wide variety of swollen knees, blisters and sunburn.  
They received me warmly (well the 12 pack might have biased the situation ;-) 
and fed me a great trail chile and slightly burnt cornbread.  Ah, the essence 
of the trail emanated from the eyes and the tone in the voices and the smell 
of trail dusted sweat from all in the room and stirred deep, old memories.  

It was a gorgeous day there with the normally strong winds reduced to a 
pleasant breeze and clear, oh so clear.  The word is that the trail down from 
above Fuller Ridge is wide enough and of such a gentle grade that a wheel 
chair could navigate it.  The multitude of switch backs must have added a 
good three or four miles to the distance that we traveled back in '77.

Ron helped me find Monte who directed us to Banning to Tony's house and 
stories of newspaper reporters, photographers, a fantastic pasta dinner and 
Ben "Blue" Foote, Swiss Miss and Jeff Zimmerman.  

I gathered the reluctant Monte and Jeff Z and brought them back to my home 
and to the airport this afternoon.  Monte appeared truly shaken and inspired 
by the two week experience and depressed to face the transition back into 
work and the rain and cold of Washington.  He truly looked the part of a 
suntanned/burnt southern California trail bum when he got on the plane and 
said the color of his skin will really shock his pastie-white, rain-soaked 
friends back home.

Jeff Z. was so awed by the two week reliving of trail magic, camaraderie and 
natural beauty that he is, as his recent post stated, taking a leave of 
absence from his job to come back next weekend and thru-hike.  Jeff looks as 
fast, tough and trail hard as he ever has.

Jeff and Monte will have more detailed trail news for those interested in the 
near future.  I will now back off and return list provoking duties to Monte 
again.

Best regards,

Greg "Strider" Hummel
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