After leaving Hikertown, Justin and I started an "infamous" section of the trail known as the aqueduct. Yes, you citizens of LA, I walked along your water source! I was hoping for a roman style aqueduct, but no dice. In lieu of a roman aqueduct, I would have accepted an open air aqueduct which allowed us to frequently resupply on water. Also, not in the cards. We walked for 15-20 miles, in the hot desert, next to a sealed pipe. Our water supply was firmly on on our backs. Dang.
We experimented with a new schedule that works for us - hiking from sunrise until noon, waiting out the heat of the day under the tent and in whatever shade we can find, and then hiking again until sundown. Some thru hikers totally flip their days and nights in the desert, but I think I'd get lost in a hot second if I attempted a true night hike. And by "hot second," I mean Mojave desert hot.
It was a day of infrastructure. After we finally left the aqueduct, we began gradually approaching a wind farm. We felt we were almost on top of it for ~2 hours, before we finally arrived. The desert indeed plays tricks on your eyes. We still have no idea how tall each turbine is, our sense of scale is so messed up. I say 100 feet, Justin says 200.
After what felt like days of turbines, we finally got back into the mountains. We did another two miles and were rewarded by a small creek. Our first natural water on the trail!! A bubbling Shenandoah steam, it was not. But we were thrilled to stick out feet in and refill our many water bottles. Nap in the shade, then an easy four miles to get to a great campsite on a valley floor.
Today we were midway through our hike out when we stopped at an *amazing* water cache! Two Tehachapi locals, Dan and Larry, started stocking a little grove with water three years ago. Now it's evolved to have water, apples, a great trail register, chairs, and a little shade structure. As we were packing up to leave, Larry himself showed up to restock! We were thrilled to meet him and give him endless thanks for making this corner of desert a bit more hospitable.
Speaking of trail angels, another one completely made our day. We got down to the road where we needed to hitch into town. Very hot and no cars. Uh oh. But daaaaamn if that isn't a cooler filled with cold sodas labeled "PCT!!!" People in this part of the world are too kind.
Got a ride into Mojave with Tim, who grew up in NJ and found his way out west over the last 30 years. He reminded us to channel Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" whenever we hitch. Good advice. Fortunately, most of our re-supplies from here out are on trail or close to it.
We are now staying at the Motel 6 in Mojave. The checkout guy at the nearby grocery store looked at our purchases (blister care, beers, and Gatorade) and said, "so, you're doing the trail, eh?" Tomorrow, we resume hiking. But tonight it is nice to have a shower, my feet up, and The Bachelorette.
Also, my dad requested a log of what animals we've seen, so here you go: lizards, rabbits, birds, chipmunks, and snakes (2 garters). What we've heard but not seen: coyotes. What we haven't seen: rattlesnakes (apparently it's only a matter of time), mountain lions.
LARRY!
No comments:
Post a Comment