May 27, 2007

I could not sleep a wink last night.  I suppose it's a 50 year-old woman thing.  Or maybe it's an over-tired hiker thing.  I may have gotten two hours maximum.  I decamped from the switchback and set foot at 7:00 a.m.  I had hoped to hike at least 20 today.  Instead, I hiked 10 miles and put up my tent.  Fatigue got the best of me.

At a creek crossing before Canebreak Road I was surprised by trail magic.  Running Feather and Singing Cloud left me the most delicious nectarine and a bottle of vanilla milkshake Ensure.  The magic was placed in a storage bag tagged with a note for Ladybug.  The bag was floating in the semi-cool water.  I LOVE surprises!  Also, the nourishment could not have come at a more perfect time.  My sleep deprivation took its toll and I took a nap.

Fireball pulled up around 1:30 and was toting my Arcteryx long sleeve shirt.  He had found it on the trail just past Joshua Spring.  Fireball was happy to unload it.  I was thrilled to have it back in my possession.  Thank you Fireball!  We chatted for awhile before Fireball hiked on.  I went back to sleep after moving my tent into the shade.  I fixed mashed potatoes and garlic chicken breast for dinner.

I hung my Ursack bear bag and was hanging around in my tent when Hot Pocket and Patrick hiked up.  They are the cutest young couple.  Hot Pocket has such a happy disposition with a darling giggle.  The newlyweds are having so much fun together before they have to settle into their engineering careers.  At 9:00 p.m. Rocco from Columbus, OH hiked up.  We had a pleasant conversation before he hiked up the trail to cowboy camp.  I plan to sleep well tonight and get up early for my final push into Kennedy Meadows.