Day 37,   28 miles

It was still windy when I packed up. I made my way through the desert plants back to the trail around 6am.  Wing-it and Hangman were camped in my original spot, they must have come in really late.  Maybe it was their voices I heard in the wind last night.

The next 7 miles to water was super challenging.  The wind almost toppled me over a few times. I kept my head down and pushed forward.  To add to it there were pits of deep sand.  It was like a roller coaster.  Every five steps pushing my way out of a pit, then down into another. Finally the trail headed down out of the wind to the water cache at 631.  Oolong, Medah, Happy and Tugboat were there.  They all had been hunkered down at mile 624 too!  None of us knew we were all there.  We all agreed, last night and this morning were so tough.

Next was an uphill climb.   I loved it.  At the top the views were amazing.  It’s the first time we could see the snow capped Sierras.

I don’t remember much of the afternoon. You know how you can fall asleep driving?  Can one fall asleep hiking?  I felt like I dozed off a few times.  The rhythm of my steps and poles put me in a meditative trance.  I was so over tired.   Stopped at McIvers Spring Cabin where there was a water cache.  Somehow I managed a 28 mile day to make it all the way to Walkers Pass campground.  The fun young troop from Hiker Town were there.  They built a campfire and were noisy at the picnic table till late.  I had no problem falling asleep anyway.