[pct-l] late start with a flip-flop?

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

On Feb 1, 2011, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:

>  Having talked to some PCT-ers who loathed the initial section of  
> the PCT,

Wow! Loathe? I probably loathed Washington while I was in it, but now  
as I think back to it, it fills my heart only with love and longing.

I live in Southern California. Fall is hiking season. It's actually  
the best hiking season, in my opinion. You get much better pictures  
in fall. The trees turn colors and the light is golden. The  
temperatures are very pleasant. There is less water, but it's not  
like there is no water. Basically, anything that is seasonal is dry  
because it's not the season. There may be caches to help you since  
some people do hike southbound. And you will be surprised how much of  
your southern California water ends up coming out of faucets, spring  
or fall. The rainy season begins in October, so be prepared for  
possible (yet not very likely) rain.

In 2009 I began my hike on May 25 in Santa Barbara. I met up with the  
PCT on June 1 in Hikertown. This was also the exact same date I  
reached Hikertown in 2008! June 1 was not too late to hike across the  
Mojave at all. In fact, it was cold in 2008 and raining in 2009. Lots  
of folks in your shoes start in Agua Dulce, but I can see where  
Cabazon would be a nice place to end your hike because you end with  
the beauty of the San Jacintos. I was amazed how beautiful they were.