[pct-l] Scissors Crossing phobia

[aln at skypoint.com (Alan L Nelson)]

Hi All, let me explain.

I have this phobia about Scissors Crossing (S.C.)  In 1999 I was a 
northbound PCT hiker
who got his butt kicked in the heat of So. Cal.  By the time I got to 
S.C., I took a
nice detour to Julian to get out of the heat.  Problem is - that I 
got seduced back
into the real world after calling back home and commiserating about 
the heat out
in wacky California (I hail from Minnesota.)

So I never got any further than S.C.  In 2004 I had planned on 
resuming the trek
from S.C. but got cold feet at the last moment.  Really cold feet - 
as in the last
moment before heading out to the airport. So I never went.

On many business trips out to So.Cal., I'd drive out to S.C. and do 
some exploring.
I'd tell myself that it would be easy to start again (in the future) 
given that I'd be starting
out "fresh" with lots of water and a new attitude.  But the phobia remains.

(On one trip in July - I stood outside my car on highway 87 and 
marveled at the heat.
If I stood into the wind - the front of my shirt was blown dry but 
the back side was
immediately soak in perspiration.  If I turned around, my back would 
dry and my front
would get soaked. Now THAT is what I call HOT!)

So my question to the good folks on the PCT-L:  What do you think 
about me doing a
southbound mini-snippet hike from Warner Springs to S.C. just to get 
this phobia out
of the way ... and then return some other year to start anew at Warner Springs?

I'm picking a southbound direction because downhill always seems 
easier than uphill.
Please confirm that I'm reading my topos correctly.  :-)

If I were to do this, what months in the Spring and/or Fall would you 
recommend?

Thanks for all your input.

-Al "album" Nelson