Days 36 – 43

June 13 — Day 43 
Camped mile 637.4 hiked 17.5 miles today. Another brutally hot day. I made it to the water catch at Bird Spring Pass. Luckily there was water there. I topped up my 7 liters and started climbing up the S face. Didn’t make it far before I had to have my Siesta. The wind was up by the time I got to the ridge. I was able to find a semi–sheltered spot for cowboy camping.

June 12 — Day 42
Camped mile 619.8 hiked 17.7 miles today. Picked about 7 liters of water for the next dry section at Landers Meadows Springs. Met up with Papa Bear and a ton of thruhikers at the adjacent campsite. I dropped off some garbage and a giant knife that I had found on the trail. So far on the trail I’ve found two hats, a pair of gloves, two sheath knives and the pepperoni. I hiked until 7:00 and was completely exhausted.

June 11 — Day 41
Camped mile 602.1 Robin Bird Springs hiked 16.3 miles today. It was a super hot day. I was really dragging. I ran out of water before the spring so I was really worn out when I arrived. Hang Time mentioned that he didn’t have enough food to Kennedy Meadows so I gave him the huge pepperoni that I picked up this morning. I thought that I had plenty of food.

June 10 — Day 40 
Camped mile 585.8 hiked 19.3 miles today. It was hot climbing out of Tehachapi. This section has very few natural water sources. There are a few road crossings where there are water catches. The hike today was to the first source at Golden Oak Spring. I camped a few miles beyond. As I was looking for the campsite I found a huge 2+ lb pepperoni completely intact. I assume that someone accidentally left if. I think that they must have been sad, because it was a lot of food.

June 9 — Day 39 
Zero PCT miles today. Had a huge chicken fried steak breakfast. Got talking to Clifford the Big Red who was a desert rat with loads of stories of mines, animal encounters, etc.

June 8 — Day 38 
Camped off-trail at Aviation Park Tehachapi off mile 558.5 hiked 17 PCT + 4 Tehachapi = 21 miles today. Got passed by 7 dirt bikes on the trail today. Called the Kern County Sheriff to report it. This is the section most scarred by off–road motorcycles. It’s pretty ugly. Got out to Willow Creek Rd and hitched to Aviation Park at the airport in Tehachapi. It was strange but a nice large lawn area for tenting underneath mature Fremont Cottonwoods. Had an excellent double entree at Thai-Hachapi. Trekked out to the Vons for a resupply.

June 7 — Day 37 
Camped mile 541.5 hiked 24 miles today. Started before sunrise to avoid the heat, but it never really got too hot as it was windy all day. This is the famous aqueduct section across the Mojave.

June 6 — Day 36 
Zero miles today. Continued staying at City Hall in Hikertown. I’m giving my knee another rest day. Spent the day eating and relaxing.