May 29th - Of sidewinder canyons, desert rats, and humming birds

Sunday, May 27th was "sidewinder canyon day".  The trail snaked up and down and around the hills and canyons with very step exposed edges.  The narrow trail hugged the side and I met a few memorial weekend hikers and we had to pass sideways on the narrow trail while avoiding falling into the canyon.  At camp I scored some tuna and fresh water from the weekend hikers.  It was 25 miles and my feet are paying for it.  I didn't want to use the cache water on the top of the mountain to camp with because I know they have to carry it a mile up hill each week so I hiked on to make it 25 mile day.   Besides it was too early and the sun to hot to camp on the top.  So it was another 11 miles to water. 

Monday, May 28th,  Grasshopper and Desert Rat day.  As I hiked through open range the grasshoppers scattered like waves in the ocean in front of me.   And there were dozens of what looked like small rats darting into thousands of holes.  Hiked past eagle Rock and talked with a group of 7 girls and one guy horse back riding.  At the road crossing near Warner Spring I stopped into the community center for water.  Met the woman and her daughter working there and scored a Pepsi and five homemade cookies - but it cost me two hours of fun conversation. Saw a deer in the middle of the trail just starring at me but he ran when I tried to take a picture.  Stopped early to soak my feet in a stream by my camp for the night.  I was listening to my mp3 player while soaking in the stream and it fell in the water.  Fortunately it's still working after a long bake in the sun.  Happy Memorial Day.

From Tuesday, May 29th:
Remote and desolate rocky sandstone with few signs of people to be seen. Saw my first humming bird. The trails wrap around the sides of the mountain and your foot is always at an angle and I now have heal blisters. But the views are all worth it.