Woke up to the sound of cows roaming around our campsite.  They dropped some fresh pies for tonight’s hikers to enjoy with their empty tank of water.  Packed up quickly and got out.   

After a mile or two I passed our “alternative” water source.   A pond full of cow shit.    

Too bad I cannot blog the smell, it was really, really special.  Found out later that Jackalope tore through here last night and got water from an adjacent pond.   He said it was better…fewer cow pies.   Uhh, I don’t think so.   I think I’d rather die. 

Had another 10 miles worth of crappy lava rock trail.   Once in a while it would seem I was getting back into dirt only to be hit with a bunch of lava pebbles and toe stumpers.    

 

Once we left the rim, the trail dropped down into a stream bed.   I think this is one of the streams feeding the FAMOUS Baum lake.   Scrappy, Soho, Sing Song, and another dude named Mike were hanging out here.  I had 1 liter left and didn’t want to get sucked into lounging.   Told Mike I was going to check on my Lake.    He said he was going to pee in it and make it his own.   Hmm…I better hurry ahead then.

Walked past the fenced in Baum homestead, past the Baum hydroelectric power station, to the lake access.   The excitement is building.   It must be a gigantic body of water supporting all sorts of water sports.  

Finally I got to the vista looking over my lake.   It turns out it is really just a big swamp.   Figures.

My lake turned out to be such a bust that I didn’t even bother getting some water there.   I was dry for the next 3 miles to Burney Guest Ranch.    I was pretty thirsty when I finally arrived.

This is has been one of the nicest spots to stop on the trail.   The owners are super hiker friendly.    They have a tiny general store filled with EXACTLY what hikers need to resupply.    The ‘fridge is full of soda, gatorade, and ice cream.   All this is run on an honor system.   You grab a sheet and fill out what you use, then settle up before leaving.   

Susan, the owner, gave me a cup of sherbet and the lowdown on the place.    Soho and I will be staying a couple of nights.   Nice gal, save for all the preachy Jesus stuff.   Later I found out that Papa Bear and her went to the same High School in Carson Nevada.   She reluctantly names some of her friends and it is clear from Papa Bear that this was a nasty crowd.   Her ex boyfriend spent a lot of time in the pokey.   She is a gal of extremes.  

They have a huge dining room/rec area done up very tastefully.   There is a laundry, pool, nice deck in front.   All the fix’ins for a good lounge spot.

Passed the day on the front deck chatting.   I watched Jackalope consume two fresh Mountain Dew cans and two ice cream sandwiches together in less than 10 minutes.    On my 3rd or 4th Soda I found out that the famous Optimistic Turtle was here!  

Wrote about her earlier.   She is all over the water report sending in updates about the streams and water caches.   Given all the snow, you can just about assume every known creek is running, but our trail reporter seems compelled to tell us  “Good Flow” anyway on the water report.    Soho and I have been joking about meeting up with here for weeks now…..and there she is.    We told her she’s wrong about the 500 gallon tank on Hat Creek Rim.   Sure enough, she whips out her phone and starts furiously typing in an update.

Her trail name came from her boyfriend.   Apparently she kept saying they would do “20 miles” that day but instead turned in 10.   She took off shortly there after.  The turtle will be phoning in reports of flowing water ahead of us.

It was a 17 miler today.    Susan is laying out yet another all you can eat buffet for us.  Going to Zero tomorrow.   

                        

 

 

  I didn’t get any water at my lake….my disappointment over