OMG I’m woken by the sound of a lawn mower at stupid O-clock
why so early  Guess it’s to beat the heat plus there is a baseball tournament on today .I emerge  and  begin my chores first I get a shower  I am all clean  I was hoping to get my clothes  clean too  but I’m too late for that  so  I decide  I can wash them in the bathroom . Once washed I walk back to my tent  and lay them out on the grass to dry in the sun
I’m clean and no longer smell my clothes are drying in the sun and I’m having a lazy morning at the community centre. Cleared down my emails had a nice cup of coffee and now I am charging my phone then I walked into Teresa a lady who had been giving me advice about the PCT  months  before I started ,then another lady “Team turtle” arrived they were heading back to Lake Moreno for the annual PCT kick-off.
I asked fellow hikers how to get to the Post office? Ask the sheriff they said
I did think that they were winding me up  But I asked him,  to my amazement  he said  yes jump in he took me in his smart pick up very smart pickup. .I would be happily arrested and taken to jail in this.  At the post office I picked up my maps and resupply box… Omg did I really send all this what was I thinking. So I put what was useful in my pack, the rubbish in the hiker box and the rest I mailed further up the trail as I was sorting out my resupply I found a knife on the floor a great knife, Great just what I needed, IT must have been dropped by a previous hiker, well it was now mine unless I bumped into him then I’d give it back Trail Karma!!
Time to walk and what a great place Warner springs was, the people were just so helpful. The first stretch was a mile stomp down the main road then off into woodland and through meadows before the obligatory climb. As I left Warner springs late 10 am, it was bloody hot plus the ton of food and water I was now carrying it was tough going so mileage will be slow today
12.30 and I need a break phew, now I’m following a bubbling brook it would be so easy to drop off my pack and lie in those cool waters But no gotta walk. Did I say it was hot! 36 c. the trail twists its way around the mountains through clumps of wild rosemary and sage what a glorious aroma. Water I need more water. The map says 1/4 mile down this track but as I wander down. .who is there but Eric lol . This water source is a stream so you need to filter your water.  I sat and made tea then cooked up a bowl of pasta. This is what a lot of hikers do. Then wash their things then hike on for a few hours. So off again I thought I would go for another hour then look for somewhere flat to put my tent.
After an hour I’m looking at the map as its getting dark and cold, I need a flat spot , just a flat spot At last a flat spot that will do . As I explore it I see Eric tent so join him for dinner