First off, my apologies for such a long delay between postings. Service has been pretty much non-existent since I last posted.
So let's get ya'll updated, shall we?
After spending several lovely days at Jim and Jane's, I hit the trail headed for Aqua Dulce, a mere 2 days away. Thank to a gear addition of a sun-reflective umbrella, I was able to meander through Vasquez Rocks at my leisure. I've seen it many times on TV in various shows, but it was much more beautiful and impressive in person.
I enjoyed a day off at the Saufleys (a hiker haven in Aqua Dulce) and then headed out for Casa de Luna a mere 24 miles away. I made it to within 7 miles of that hiker haven and was lucky enough to meet Joe Anderson (one of the Anderson's that run Casa de Luna) at the Oasis cache that they keep stocked with water, soda, and such. Because it was another scorcher of a day (over 100 degrees), I choose to catch a ride instead of slogging through the heat for another couple of hours.
After 2 days of rest and relaxation (and sadly missing the chocolate wrestling)...I got back on the trail headed for Hikertown. Another 2 days and Lava Goat and I found ourselves in the very interesting Hikertown. Imagine an old west movie set with various buildings (we slept in City Hall). A shower and beef stew for dinner was a good setup for a 4:30am departure.
With headlights on, Lava Goat, Lunchbox, and I started the long flat walk along the aqueduct. It was flat and hot. Oh...and after about 16 miles, windy as all get out. The last 3 miles of the trail took almost 3 hours because the winds were so strong. At one point, I was braced against the wind but turned slightly and the wind caught my pack and spun me around in a full circle. People were being blown over and it was really just miserable.
We made it to a canyon hoping to find some relief from the wind but no luck. Tents were being blown down all night and all in all...well, I'm glad I don't live in that area. I can handle a lot of things, but wind just saps my energy to no end.
Another hard day of wind and we all made it into Tehachapi and I spent a much needed 2 days off. It took two showers and a bath to clean off all the dirt and grim that the wind pounded into my skin.
From there...it was on to Kennedy Meadows a mere 140 miles away. This would be the longest time between towns...almost 7 days. Thankfully, Trail Angels had other plans. When I reached Walker Pass, there was the most beautiful site ever...trail magic. Food, drinks, ice cream, fruit, and on and on. I even took advantage of a ride into nearby Lake Isabella to get a couple of hours of cell service.
While I was only there about 24 hours, it was the rest I needed to get through the next 3 days of hot weather and big elevation gains & losses. I think the trail went between 5,000 ft and 8,000 ft about 3 times. The scarcity of water through this entire last section added weight to my pack as I went from carrying 2-3 liters of water to carrying 5-6 liters (an added 8.8 lbs).
I am now at mile 702! I survived the desert and will soon be heading up into the Sierras. I can not express how excited I am to get off the hot, sandy trails that I've been trudging through for miles upon miles.
I'll have photos up as soon as my phone has service.
Oh and I'm also 25% done with the trail!! Only 2 1/2 states left to go :)
Happy Hiking!
