Took me a while to pack-up and beg a ride back to the trail.   Got there around 10, when see Sitting Rock and her Mom hanging out.    Hadn’t seen them since Wrightwood, so we spent 30 minutes catching up.   Turns out that Sitting Rock is going off trail today.    Her Mom will be back in a week or so to carry on alone.  

I figured today would be just more of the same, since I pretty familiar with this area.    Low hills and shrubs.  Fortunately, the temps were in the 60’s, cloudy, with 20-30 mph winds.    It was a little uncomfortable, but way better than the usual 90’s and sun. 

 

After Lake Hughes crossing I stopped for some lunch next to a borehole from some failed mine.   Happy Times turned up mid lunch and hung out for a while.    He’s lost his wallet and phone.   Fortunately it was found, but shipped way ahead to Mojave.  So for the next week he’s is going 100% trail generosity.   Dude always has a great attitude.   Hence the name.  Seems to like the challenge…wouldn’t take any cash from me.

Goldmine !!!Munching on lunch I watched Happy Times climb the hill and walk across the ridge.   Every minute or two I’d snap a pic.   Here is my photo study of a broke, phoneless hiker.  

To my surpise, the trail started climbing into the tree line.   After 4, it was nice forest trails again.   Never thought I’d see this again until the Sierras.   Pleasant surprise.

This I ran into Manny Pack and hiked with him for an hour until he took dinner at 6.   He’s an electrical engineer from Seattle.   Our paces are similar.

After I split with Manny, I immediately run into TJ and Emily who are section hiking for a couple months.   Both just graduated.   TJ is going to Africa for a couple years in the peace corps, Emily is going to med school.   Really nice folks.    

They saw a bear at the last water source and freaked out a bit, so were out of water.   There was supposed to be some kind of tank at 496, but all we found was a steel pipe sticking out of the ground with some water in it.  I said “no thanks” and moved on, but they stuck around to filter.

Found the cut-off trail to Sawmill Campground 498.    It was a bit of a climb off the trail, but a wonderful protected meadow on top of the ridge.    There were some car campers here together with at least 10+ hiker tents.    Busy spot.   It was after 7, dark, and cold when I arrived.   A few folks were out, but I decided to just put up the tent and cook there.  

While sucking on a jolly rancher after dinner, I bit down on the last bit and managed pop a molar cap off.   Great, now I need a dentist.   I stuck it back on and went to sleep.

Feeling pretty good overall.   Did a 20 mile day after a late start and got 4k of climbing in.