Thursday 15th May.
Woke up late really relaxed . wandered over to the lounge Will and   are there. I wash up my things from last night, then make tea and chill .Email is working .I have a text from a old friend in LA that I ame  trying to meet upif possible.
As I sit chilling more hikers arrive there are now 14 smelly  Hikers here All waiting out the midday sun
Finally got into contact with an old friend of mine from La .he’s coming out to meet me with curry and beer  can’t wait to see him been a few years.
Gradually hiker town is filling up all debating on when to set off in this murderous heat

Whoop wades here and he has brought shed loads of food and beer all the other hikers stare like vultures .Wade grabs me a beer and a glass  then I pile huge amounts of curry on my plate before saying to the other hikers to help yourselves. It’s ages since we have seen each other and we chat for ages drinking beer and laughing .He also gives me a bollocking for wearing boots.Sadly he’s right. I should of taken the trip to REI when I was at the Saufleys. Before long  its time for Wade  to go.  We do a blokes good byes big hugs .Really great to see you Wade. :0)
Now I need to make a decision  I need to pack up and make a start but it’s still crazy hot!!! But i need to go.Before I go I make a startling discovery I have been complaining that my pack is too heavy so we weight it and bloody he’ll it’s 55 lb. It’s got a lot of food in but that’s crazy and has been this heavy for a while.no wonder I’m struggling .When I get to Mojave I need to sort it.
I eventually leave hiker Town It is still in  the 90s but there is a cool breeze. I am a little anxious about hiking at night .but ill be fine..The trail takes us through farm land before turning sharp right Wow there is an amazing canal or rather a viaduct. This takes  water to LA I follow this for a few miles then the trail turns left and heads for the hills here is the original metal pipe that was built years ago to siphon water from the mountains  to La. It was an remarkable engineering feat when it was first built.
As I walking past some houses a lady comes out to warn me about snakes. Especially the Mojave Green.its a rather nasty rattler and very aggressive. (I wish she hadn’t told me)  as every stick looks like a snake. I follow this water pipe  for several miles before realising I’ve lost my hat, bugger bugger.i drop my pack and put it at the side of the road then run back swearing to myself about 3/4 of a mile I see two hikers french toast and Alpine I don’t suppose you have seen a hat..yes and they had picked it up. Thank you thank you.i walk with them for a while  then  following this  massive pipe up the mountain till the trail goes left and follows another viaduct although this one is concreted over.
It’s now getting dark so head torch on..I would of been walking in the dark but now I am concerned about snakes At 8pm the moon began to rise it was gorgeous but my camera can’t capture it. (So just believe me) On I walk the moths chasing my lamp . I am like a mobile dart board for the moths and bugs that I have to put my bandanna  over my face.I plan to walk to 11pm my first night Hike it’s much cooler but my watch still says 85°   on I walk the light in the towns are so bright on the horizon . I can’t help gazing at the stars,on and on I go my watch counting down the hours  at last 11pm now to find somewhere for my tent.
I have a ritual before camping .is it flat, will I be blown away and finally sweep for ants. All good tents up .I put my bandanna on top of the tent just in case a biker tries to run over me!!.zzzzz