5/9/20-5/10/20, mile:518, elevation 3,054 ft.
I’m up early, but not before Safety, he seems to be as motivated as me to hit “town” this morning. It’s like 9 miles or so, with a net loss of elevation. There’s one more water source about halfway before we hit the highway. Once within cell reception, my phone starts blowing up with birthday wishes. Thank you all so much, it means a lot to me especially this year.
After the initial drop in elevation and collecting water, the trail gets mean to the hiker who is jonesing for a break. Up, down, around and no shade. The views of California poppies is quite impressive this spring, proof of the late spring rains. I’ve got music playing in one ear during this section, jamming out on Sarah’s “Hot” playlist she made me. I’m having fun most times, even playing some air guitar with my trekking pole. And then the most trame rattlesnake I’ve seen yet. I gently prodding him to step off the trail to we can both get on with our lives.
Once I finally make the highway, I phone Wee Vill Market for a pickup. They not only pick up hikers, they allow us to camp in their side yard, provide free showers and bucket laundry. They also have a grill with a lot of food variety and you can even get resupply food for the next segment. There is quite a large contingent already there when I arrive, and more birthday wishes come my way…along with some beers. Gunner is showing off his salt-encrusted shirt that stands up on its own, Safety is repairing his inflatable sleeping pad, and there’s beer…. I go inside to order food and meet Maria. She’s the force behind the day-to-day operation here and is quite personable. I ask about my two packages but they haven’t arrived yet. One is a hiking umbrella I asked Sarah to resend to me for the aquaduct section, the other is a birthday box. Annoyingly, the birthday box doesn’t arrive in time; I give Maria some money and directions to send it back home if it ever arrives. That evening, Maria gives me a bottle of Seagram’s as a birthday present. This is what vortexes are made of….
The next day is more of the same, except this time I clean Maria’s truck for Mother’s Day. For the first time in 55 days, I drive a motor vehicle while drying off the truck for her. Some of the other hikers chit-chat with me as I’m working on the truck, talking about music (I have “Car Wash” jamming), and Mrs. Tuna Farts shows off here tattoo. Being the desert, all sorts of people flow in and out of this place. I can’t help but to go and chat with the motorcyclists that pass through, talking bikes, tires and desert riding.
I finally get my act together and complete my resupply shopping and washing my clothes. Tomorrow is departure day, though it will be late to avoid the heat. This aquaduct section is notorious for being hot and exposed.
Savior out.