May 1 | Miles 566 - 587.3

I’ve been behind on posts lately because we’ve been doing a lot of hiking and a lot of nothing, but here goes at trying my best to remember the details.

I didn’t take any pictures during the zero in Tehachapi yesterday because I was too busy grocery shopping, doing laundry, eating Thai food and bakery carrot cake, getting scolded for room stacking by the hotel owner, and going to see the new Avengers movie (which shockingly kept me entertained for the entire 3 hours). We also hit up the VFW bar where one of the locals asked why I was hanging out with “these ugly mugs” and bought me a drink which I declined at the time as we had to make the movie, so now I’m stuck with a little poker chip that will get me a free well cocktail next time I’m in Tehachapi.

This morning we once again raided the free hotel breakfast. We set out around 9 to get a hitch to the trailhead and danced for a ride on the on-ramp for about 10 minutes before one of the guys pulled up riding shotgun in a truck and we all piled in. For what it’s worth the driver said he stopped because I had a nice smile, so there.

Awaiting us was a long 6 mile morning climb back up into the hills we’d climbed down just two days before. The trek was made better by some nice wind and the 66° temps.The late morning began with a long and arduous climb that was redeemed only by the 66° breeze.

The climb was dry, dusty, and relatively uninteresting, but I cranked out the miles listening to 90s boy band music, of course.

Thankfully it wasn’t as beastly hot as it had been the previous few hiking days. The afternoon was mellow and I took it easy, rolling into camp with a bit of hip and foot pain at a casual 2mph speed.

Camp for the night is a little patch of dirt next to a ridge dotted with–you guessed it–a bunch of windmills. I think we are actually on private property right now. In other news, I ate some uberspicy ramen for dinner and even drank the fiery sauce left over in my cold soak jar at the end. Leave no trace my friends.