We began a long descent first thing in the morning. We could hear cows moo'ing in the valley below. When we got down onto the valley floor, we thought we could see a picnic table but how could that be? We chalked it up to mirage until we got closer and realized it really was a picnic table! It was some sort of turn-around on a dirt road and must have been a ranch with the cows and also a preserve because we saw a sign for the endangered desert tortoises. Can't pass up a picnic table! We hunkered down in the wind and ate our snacks.
Onward through the Mojave desert we trekked. We saw no rattle snakes the whole time, which sort of shocks me. We were facing a 3000 foot climb and, unfortunately, it was going to hit us late in the day. I was really questioning our sanity on this hike at this point. I kept saying, this is nuts, this is stupid, why do I do this? What makes me subject myself to such agony?
We reached the base of the climb around 5:30pm and scouted around the area a bit. We discovered another water cache hidden behind some Joshua trees! OMG! The decision was cinched then that we would camp at the base and do the climb fresh in the morning. I used two liters from that cache to fill up my liter electrolyte bottle and to cook dinner and breakfast. Thank goodness for the two water caches we ran across because I ended up adding 3 liters to my original 8 during the 42 mile waterless stretch. I would have been in a world of hurt if I hadn't so thank you to the water angels!
Photos can be found on my Instagram @tinahikes
Author of Lola Hikes the Icy Mountain
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lola-Hikes-Mountain-Tina-Fernando/dp/1524656089/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491443809&sr=8-1&keywords=lola+hikes+the+icy+mountain
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lola-hikes-the-icy-mountain-tina-fernando/1125793085?ean=9781524656089
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