Day 6

The dry creek bed is dead silent all night. A gentle breeze nudges the tent making it hard to fall asleep. I can hear sand falling down the sides of the canyon. The moon is so bright, I can see everything in my tent. A hiker walks past and wakes me up at 4am. They’re hiking before the sun comes out, it’s going to be hot.
I should get going. I start to gather my things. 7 am. I’m off to a slow start. I feel much better than yesterday though! It’s amazing how much one night of rest can do. My knees and ankles feel great and my monster blister is healing into a nice calus. I have another one forming just above it almost between my toes. Ouch. Hopefully it heals as well as the first.

The trail continues up and up through more stunning cactus arrangements. I love the tall spikey plants with orange flowers waving in the breeze.

I race the sun, hoping to cover as much trail in the shade as possible. I’m carying about 3 1/2 liters left over from yesterday. My pack feels so much lighter!

Come back shade! I don’t think I see another patch of shade for many miles. The sun is high and it’s hot. I’m already drinking all my water. I try to hike with my mouth closed to keep my mouth from getting dry. Just 10 more miles to the next water, I got this. I listen to music as I march up the switchbacks. The second I set up my umbrella the wind starts up. Fiddling with the umbrella slows me down. I see another hiker catching up in the distance. I wonder where everyone else is. I’m about to go around a ridge when I hear a very distinct rattling sound.

The snake coiles itself into a tight knot, ready to strike. I slowly back away and hold still. The rattling stops. I reach for my camera and it rattles angrily. I patiently wait for it to move off the trail but it’s not going anywhere. I stoop to pick up a rock and the rattling starts up again. I toss the rock next to it. Nope, this snake isn’t moving.

I’ll just go around it.

I scramble up the ridge to the right of the trail. I tap my hiking poles around in the brush hoping there aren’t more snakes in hiding. I get around successfully! Yay! I look back and it hasn’t budged. I hope it moves before that other hiker gets here.

I pass through an extremely dry section.

Then the trail leads up over a small ridge dotted with more cactus flowers. I’m down to about 1L of water. I sure hope this water report is right!

I finally reach the water mile marker and discover a small village of hikers huddled under bushes. Their tents draped between branches to create more shade. I drop my pack and head down a side trail to a cistern. Almost every bush has a hiker hiding under it.

I get further down the hill and, what’s this? A water cache? and not just any water cache. Someone had trucked in gallons of arrow head waterbottles and covered them with a tarp. There was even a small pen to put empty bottles in so they wouldn’t blow away. Amazing! I wish I had my camera to take a picture. Thankyou you wonderful people responsible for this!!!
I take about 3L and head back up the hill. Everyone naps in the shade. It’s too hot to hike. I find my own patch of shade and paint.

It starts too cool down around 3. I head out before most of the other hikers. I want to get as close to warner springs as I can so I can make it to the post office tomorrow.

I find another rattlesnake lying across the trail. I don’t even bother trying to get it to move this time. I scramble around its resting spot.

The terrain starts to shift.

Green!

I get another burst of hiking energy. It’s so nice to hear birds again! The air is definitely cooler and more humid. It smells chalky, but a good, cool kind of chalky.

Billy goat’s cave.

I hike as far as I can before it starts to get dark. It’s hard to find a flat spot. I pass several hikers almost camped out on the trail. I eventually find a nice little clearing on a hill top above the trail. Tonight I’m going to try cowboy camping.