Scissors Crossing to Rodriguez Spur and back
(19 miles, +3,600/-3,600 feet).

I’ve been to Anza A LOT this year but I still can’t get enough of the superbloom!  For this one I joined my hiking buddy BarnFinder and a friend of his who likes to track his heart while hiking.  It was easy to come up with a trail name.

The three of us left San Diego at 4:30am and were on trail near Scissors Crossing by 6:15am.

It was a little tough to keep up with my long-legged friends on the flat, but I managed to stay close through the climbs.

We stopped for lunch and a water refill at Rodriguez Spur and then headed back.

When we got near the end we chatted with Tacoma, a thru-hiker who was going to hitch to Julian for some R&R.  We offered him a ride and he gladly accepted!

My favorite moment in talking to him — he saw a hiker with the world’s largest fanny pack.  Apparently it was his first aid kit.  We asked Tacoma about his own first aid kit.  He said “it’a about this big,” pointing to his fist, and then he said dryly, “and I’ve been a medical EMT for 19 years!”