Wind shook the tent, leading to a sleepless night and an early rise. With 10 miles to water, an early start didn’t bother me. In fact my schedule involved getting up by 5am the last few days anyways. It was the best way to give myself ample time and cool temperatures to hike the exposed desert.
I completed the 31 mile stretch between water at a trailer park. I knew it would be a rough area, but I did not expect it to look so abandoned. On the right and further into the desert were hundreds of abandoned cars. On the right were dozens of trailers with messages and phallic symbols painted on them. Most the windows were punched out. It was a place people went but never left. Did anyone live here? And better question: was there water? I searched around before finding a silver tank with enough in it to power me 21 miles to Chiriaco Summit. There were deer in the culverts, jack rabbits on the rolling sand and even a coyote running along a Jeep road. The terrain and wildlife had begun to change. In the place of a flat expanse were small rolling hills and rocky outcropping. This is the route I had drawn and I was happy for the change. Hopefully the heart of the desert was behind me.
The temperature stayed cool and no break was necessary in the afternoon. It was a straight march to Chiriaco Summit. My first resupply of the trail and the beginning of the dreaded dry stretch. I ate sub par food at the diner, filled my water reserves to capacity and walked away from civilization once again. People at the small freeway rest spot stared at me wondering what in the world I was doing. Sometimes during the last 3 days I have thought the same. It was up into the Pinto Wash, to the dry desert world and toward the Pacific Crest Trail. My biggest mileage day yet.
Miles today: 37
Days since shower: 3
Liter of water in my pack: 8.5L
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