CS592.9 to Landers Meadow Camp (592.9 to 608.9) Daily miles: 16 I find myself in the middle of a long section, the end not yet in sight and already the comforts of Tehachapi fading.  Metal exhaustion.  Muscle fibers pulled and stretched and torn.  Everything mended in time.  Pass deer on the trail, follow a mother … More June 7 (Day 37)

CS573.3 to CS592.9 (573.3 to 592.9) Daily miles: 19.8 A normal day: Wake up when the sun says get up.  Bright red sky this morning and the city of Mojave down below, Monday morning and people go to work.  The windmills are still blinking red, so it’s not full light yet.  Drink coffee stronger than … More June 6 (Day 36)

Tehachapi – Willow Springs Rd to CS573.3 (558.5 to 573.3) Daily miles: 14.8 The Chimney Fire has been contained, and all the hikers rejoice.  Somehow it didn’t damage the trail at all, so the closure is lifted.  Very good news, obviously.  I manage to get out of Tehachapi before noon via a lift from local … More June 5 (Day 35)

Tehachapi Daily miles: 0 Planned camp so that I only had to hike maybe a third of a mile to the road, so we’ll call it a zero.  Wait for over an hour to get a hitch, but finally a ride arrives.  He talks about the seasons, the mining, the town of Tehachapi.  I ask … More June 4 (Day 34)

Tylerhorse Canyon to Tehachapi Willow Springs Road (541.5 to 558.5) Daily miles: 16.9 I’ve lost track of what “enough” means.  Full enough? Rested enough? Cold/hot enough?  I wake up shivering, covered in sweat.  I sleep under the stars, sand in my face, sleeping bag tossed open so that the desert creatures can come and lay … More June 3 (Day 33)

Horse Trail Camp to Tylerhorse Canyon (508.1 to 541.5) Daily miles: 33.4 10 miles straight down to the desert floor where the collection of buildings called Hikertown sits.  It’s a ramshackle place that some guy threw together that hosts hikers for the day or night, but most people just hide out there during the day … More June 2 (Day 32)

Upper Shake Campground to Horse Trail Camp (493.4 to 508.1) Daily miles: 14.7 I shake all the bugs that spent the night resting on my tent loose and they fall across the ground, dazed.  I try to shake the sleep from my eyes, but I’m just too groggy.  Coffee and poptarts go in, and I … More June 1 (Day 31)

Campsite at 468.2 to fire closure to 478.2 to Upper Shake Campground (493.4) 10 PCT miles + 12 mile detour around closure Daily miles: 22 “Blessings to you on your journey,” he says.   He’s lit a marijuana cigarette and he’s smiling at me.  “I hope it is a blessed journey.” I’m standing at his … More May 31 (Day 30)

Saufly’s Hiker Heaven to campsite at 468.2 (454.5 to 468.2) Daily miles: 13.7 The Saufly’s live in Agua Dulce and past Agua Dulce are the desert hills. I road walk a couple miles to the outskirts of town and the hills are yellow and brown from all the dried grass.  The scrub bushes are green … More May 30 (Day 29)

Campsite at 451.5 to Hiker Heaven in Agua Dulce (451.5 to 454.5) Daily miles: 3 Dew overnight, dry grass seeds stuck to everything in the morning, pack that weighs almost nothing.  No more water, no more food.  Only a couple early morning miles to town and resupply.  Stay with The Saufly’s, who are trail angels of … More May 29 (Day 28)