I wake up on the later side. Overstock must have left while I was sleeping. We filter water and head out around 8. 
  

  

More forest for breakfast. The trail deviates from the stream. It wanders through the hills around boulders and lavender bushes.

  
 The air grows hot. I leap frog with a sister hiking team, Melissa and Skylar. They could be twins but they’re not. They stop for a break and I push on. The flowers are beautiful today! 

   

   

 
    
    
 
The trail dips low between some hills. A bridge crosses a stream!  

 I see Overstock and the OCBoys by the water. I scramble down to join them. It’s so nice to be around water after those dry sections. We take our time filtering water, washing out socks and relaxing. The British couple and Butterfingers join us. Everyone is in good spirits. 

  

 A guy riding the trail crosses the bridge with his two horses. I don’t know how they do it. There are so many downed trees and steep narrow sandy bits of trail high up with sharp drops. I would be nervous to take a horse on those parts of trail. It’s hard enough for me and I only have two legs to keep track of. They manage though! It’s fun to follow their hoof prints and see where they take breaks. 

I head out down the trail with Jeff and Jonathan. We hike spread apart today, taking photos of whatever interests us. The trail snakes through the hills above the stream. I can hear people jumping and playing in the deeper pools. It looks really refreshing….wish the trail wasn’t so high up from the water. Oh well. 

 
We cross another bridge.   

The trail is surrounded by these crazy Dr.Seuss flowers. The pictures don’t do them justice. They sway hypnotically in the breeze.

   
   
Jeff and Jonathan push ahead. The trail crosses a stream. A group of older men are taking a break right in the middle of the trail. I awkwardly hop over some boulders to pass them.  

 The air is so hot and dry. I feel like I can see the moisture evaporating from the grass. I wonder what the plants would do if they knew there was flowing water below them. I imagine them jumping ship, letting their roots go and tumbling down the ravine.  

I eventually pass some hot springs. It looks really cool but I don’t stop. According to the water report it’s contaminated with amoebic meningoencephalitis (a rare and sometimes fatal disease, also a super high fecal coliform count).

  
 I hike up the hot hill in a bad mood. Why must people poop near the water. I’d like to jump in that water. I take a pout break in some shade. Jeff and Jonathan hike up. I thought they were way ahead of me! 

They had stopped to check out the hot springs and tried to wave at me but I didn’t notice. Apparently it was super nice looking. …….Why people why!   

We hike on to the next clean water source and planned campsite. We get there and there’s no space to set up a tent! Not even for one person. Darn. The trail is no where near any level ground, not for another 14 miles. We push on hoping to find something. The trail switchbacks down towards a rainbow bridge. 

 

I spot a sandy beach next to the water! Let’s camp there! We find a very steep path down and set up our tents in the sand. This spot is really cool.     

 

We eat dinner and listen to the marsh birds call out to each other. A small waterfall pours into a reflective pool. A giant sand colored spider sits by my foot. It surprises us by ‘hoping’ away. The sun starts to set and tiny bats flap around gobbling up the night time bugs. The air is warm and the sand is soft. We stay up late listening to crickets and talking about life.

  

Camped at mile 310.17 of the PCT
Miles hiked today: 16.93