Lost and Loathing On The AC Trail

What, we're lost? How do you use this compass anyway?

I spent the better part of today on the Angeles Crest trail with two very cool runners, Travis C and Larry R. Until two weeks ago I’d never set foot on the AC trail so today offered a great opportunity to see some of what’s in store come July 23. 

Larry R and Travis C

We ran the last 25 miles of the course from Chantry to the finish. All was going swimmingly until we hit Millard campground, mile 95ish on the course and site of the last aid station. Following what looked like the course trail according to the map, we sauntered down along a creek until we got to a place that looked like it had been blown up by a tsunami. Only tsunamis don’t make it as high as the San Gabriel Mountains. But the trail had vanished!  So whatever hit it, even if it wasn’t a tsunami, must have been as big as one. Trees were obliterated, rocks and branches strewn about. But I’m really not complaining about the lost trail. Because a wrong trail that is lost is much better than a wrong trail that isn’t. Get it?    

The Bug Man from the Gardening Shop

So then we turned around. And climbed. And climbed. And complained. And complained a little more. Until we came upon this eerie cabin with abandoned cars and surreal looking dolls staring out of the abandoned cars. It was zany here. So Larry R decided to knock on the door to find something. Like where the F#Vk-are-we? Or where the h3#L do we need to go? He knocked. And just like that, no one answered! Uhmm....isn't this is a good thing? 


So then we kept running. And running. And wondering. And wondering where the hell we were. Until we came upon a man behind a bush. This man showed not his face, nor his body. Just water from a hose was all we could see. I semi-yelled “Excuse Me! Where is Loma Alta park?” And the man behind the bush spoke to us in clear sentences as if he spoke to everyone from behind a bush. “Oh just turn right once your down the road”, he said with no discernable face or body parts. “Thank you man behind the bush” I thought to him as we continued running into our unfinished abyss.

From here we ran over a paved road with lots of turns and houses along the side. Finally, after battling heat, smog, flies, a bugman, self doubt, tsunamis, and a bushman, finally, we found our pot of gold.

But Travis, Larry and I never did see a rainbow!