Ones you cross the Mojave I thought that the dessert was done, the sierra starts....No. I was wrong. This has been maybe the toughest t part, super dry and really hot. Climb is good when you get into the 2000 m, you get into cooler forest island son top of the mountains . When you go down everything gets dry, back to reality. We go like camels from water source to water source. It is where all the hikers met and where we have siestas. The regular stretches between waters sources are 18 miles . I am doing quite a lot night hikes to save water. I really love it in the desert, the sand of the trail bright with the full moon. With the new lamp I see much more. Now I see scorpions everywhere. when I go to sleep I do walls with my ground sheet to avoid all this animals.
One day I have to go out 1 mile out of the trail to go to a little creek for water. The way down was a gully, very steep. I had to scramble down few times looking for rattle snakes. The creek has a small pool in the desert. 5 hikers in the middle of nowhere resting during the midday heat. I tried to sleep but I was sweating in the shade....and the place full of snakes . It has been the only time that I pass a bad time because of the water. One day I was very short and I was very stressed because of that . It is more psychological than physiological challenge. Water management. Heat, miles, elevation, dinner, night. Calculations. When you are short of water is when you start thinking in cold coca cola, watermelon, gazpacho....you get more thirsty. I was thinking to go to Isabella to resupply and back but I saw the camping with swimming pool I think I deserve....
The 25 miles of way back I had to get 3 rides to get into the trail. And just before start some trail magic I got a Gatorade!
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