Got an early start to get the first 16 waterless miles done before it gets hot
The LA Aqueduct
The aqueduct is now in a pipe
Joshua trees
Looking back toward Hikertown
The water source after the first 16 miles of the desert
It was a strange year for us. We rested under a bridge but it was really cold and windy in the shade. This is Missing Link and Kombuda.
Data and Li'l Wrangler. Everyone waited out the middle of the day freezing in the shade, but the sun was hot and harsh.
Cottonwood Creek where there is a cottonwood but no creek.
Unfortunately I had no idea where any of those recommended alternates were.
Me at Tylerhorse Canyon
Another attempt to take my own picture.
Hiking the burn zone was bad. We really should not have done it.
Reaching the summit of the Tehachapis.
Windmills in the distance
Where I stayed in Tehachapi. I had a nice time in Tehachapi.
Back on the trail after a nice zero in Tehachapi. More windmills.
Slowly rising out of the desert into pinyon pine and juniper forest.
A broken windmill thingie somebody used as a shelter to sleep in.
Ahh, beautiful forest in the Southern Sierras. I'm feeling so happy to be done with the desert. Little did I realize...
The 600 mile mark
I camped with Gary (Drive By) at Waterhole Mine. He made a nice fire but I was too sleepy to stay up and enjoy it for very long.
I loved the trees.
The horror! Another desert! This one was the worst one yet.
Thankfully there was a cache at Kelso Rd. If there hadn't been one, I would have roadwalked this section of the PCT in order to stay near the water sources. It was getting pretty hot here.
Sorry for the blurry picture, but why didn't they just route the PCT next to this cattle pond instead of dangling it below you like a taunt?
An attempt to take my own picture as I sought shade under a joshua tree.
Me, under the Joshua tree. Notice how thin I am now?
Another cache at Bird Spring road. Yay! I made it through a tough 35.5 waterless section of desert!
The desert is pretty at dusk and dawn. This would be dusk.
Grasshopper hiding in a Joshua tree.
Heading up again the next morning.
I got phone reception here and called Tony.
I think that's Owens Peak. I'm in the real Sierras now!
Dang. Just when we were in trees again we drop back into desert again. The trail was kind enough to drop us thousands of feet so we could get a sip of water, before making us haul our weary bodies back up again. This is near Joshua Tree Spring.
A stream orchid at one of the Spanish Needle creek crossings.
Nearing Kennedy Meadows.
But wait, first you must hike another burn zone.
Wildflowers were abundant. Regrowth of the pine trees was not. This fire happened 8 years ago. Expect desert to grow here, not forest.
The fragrance of lupine and ceanothus and the little pink ones and the yellow bushy ones was overpowering.
The Kern River! Yay! Water! Yay! A swim!
The Kern again
Kennedy Meadows General Store. I was so happy to be here.
Nice welcome, buddy!
Much hanging out was done on this porch whether or not the store was actually open. It wasn't open yet when I arrived.
The shower. It was nice and hot, if a little drafty.
So many hikers converged on the Kennedy Meadows General Store that it was like a party every night. This night they fixed us T-bone steaks with cake and ice cream for dessert.
Steve taking a chug of Mad Dog.
Gary's not too sure he likes it. That's My Uncle Lorenzo next to him.
The Internet Cafe and the hammock tree. What a great place to relax.
The view for a few hours.
Back on the trail after a zero day in Kennedy Meadows. Walked through the meadow.
The next burn zone to walk through was still burning.
Firefighter camp
Firefighter resupply
Looking back on the fire. I could see the fire for a few days. My camera began not to work anymore. I think it doesn't work at altitude.
Bridge over the Kern with swallows. This was one of the last pictures before my camera could no longer handle the altitude.
In the real Sierras finally!
