New terrain ahead, Mojave then Sierras

After 23 days on the trail our biggest test yet has come, the Mojave. A rugged landscape with little vegetation taller than a bush and highs that have reached up to 116 degrees. The string of trail angels leading up to the Mojave have been outstanding and some of the best hospitality we have received yet. The Andersons, hiker town and the Saufleys all are important and embody the hospitality, the kindness, and wisdom that trail angels provide to thru hikers and makes a successful thru hike possible through some of the most difficult landscape to navigate in terms of heat and water scarcity along the trail. 

Giant cactus and a windmill

Yesterday evening we arrived to Hiker Town around 3 in the afternoon and met back up with Dirty Sink and Pretty Boy for the first time since we got split up in Big Bear. After a couple hours of waiting out the heat we headed out of Hiker Town to the LA aqueduct section, a flat mostly maze of dirt roads, concrete and metal pipe that winds through the heart of the mojave desert and supplies LA with its water supply. 

The night stars were amazing and allowed us to hike without headlamps late into the night, before we took a 2 hour nap at 2am to allow for a 430 am start and trek to find salvage under a tunnel before the heat kicked in around 10 in the morning. 

Liam Alex and I made ourselves at home inside of the shade of the tunnel when we experienced the best trail magic yet! Terry Anderson drove all the way out to the bridge and brought us soda, pizza and snow cones! 

The amount Terry does for the trail and hikers is mind boggling and I hope she continues to get the support she needs from the community to continue her generosity to many more PCT classes. We are planning to nap until 7 to push another 5 miles to the next campsite and get a much needed good night's sleep. There is about 100 miles between us and the Sierras ahead, which is mind boggling. Within the next couple week we will be going from 116 degree days and 70 degree nights, to snow passes, river crossings, 14k foot mountain climbs and glacier lake swimming. 

Lots of snakes on the trail.