October 24

Distance: 19.5 miles | Ascent: 2610′ | Descent: 3840′

Mile marker: 2201.1

Lunch: J – apple cinnamon oatmeal (A), A – beef stroganof (A)

Dinner: J&A – hot dogs (A+s)

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To beat as much of the heat as possible, we got up early, relatively. With the short days, getting up at 5:30 is getting harder. We forced ourselves up at 6 am. A scorpion had joined our tent spot during the night. He wasn’t aggressive, just probably wanted our warmth or shelter.

The scenery was a lot of the same. This really isn’t an exciting stretch. Maybe it’s more exciting in winter or the spring when things are flowering, but it’s just hot and dry.

We stopped for lunch at a spring (seriously, how do desert springs work? Wikipedia isn’t too helpful in helping us understand). Then, we hightailed it towards the small town of Agua Dulce for some relaxation and water, using the strengthening cell service as we approached town to make a few calls.

Along the road walk, we crossed the 2200-mile point. It was a bit anticlimactic being on a road next to a dumpster. We wrote in the sand in someone’s festive front yard, took a picture, and quickly erased the numbers with our feet.

All of our hiking companions were also shooting for Agua Dulce. When we got to Serenity’s Oasis, another couple was already there, taking a zero. They had passed us the day after our fated 24-hour challenge. Their tortoise approach, it turns out, is superior to our hare.

It’s been since Oregon that we recieved any trail magic (SOBOs are the middle children of the thruhiker community), so we treated ourselves to some trail magic. We got some hot dogs at the grocery store and had a teeny tiny barbecue at the campground with our fellow hikers. Thanks to Tammy and Michele for sending us some money to “get real food.” It was very much appreciated!

We’ll probably have a slow start tomorrow. The heat is wearing us down more than we expected. Even in late October, the desert is still hot. Does it ever get cold? Probably not.