Monday 19th May

Got up early grabbed  two cups of free Coffee , outside  on the lawn was Siesta ,we  chatted while  then Raggedy Man  turned  up  whilst  chatting Siestas  Brother Bomber turned  up  but  in not sure which  is which !! I left  as I needed to  go  to  the Post  office  but  as I left  the guys  from the  Restaurant  joined me,  they were all going  to  Breakfast  at Denny’s. As  they  veered off, I  continued   on . Gorgeous morning  but  they  all have been so far. I arrived  at the Post office  Handed over my  parcel  brought stamps  and headed  back.

On the way back from the Post office I noticed a sign on the road. It pointed to a. Memorial stone.
On the stone it commemorates the original 20 Strong Mule trains that pulled ore and other materials from the mines to Mojave. The same route that I have just walked.
This history fascinates me well I am a tourist too

Libraries are scary places too they hold your prisoner and stop joy from leaving.
I cannot believe how long  I  had  been there   ,but mission accomplished, blog up to date. Videos loaded hurrah

Well from the library it was a mad dash to pack up and leave but somehow, I did it. Big pat on the back .
Any of  the extra food that would not fit into my pack I ate beneath my tree.
Time to go , my body complained as I hoisted up my pack. Are we still doing this? Yes, I answered.

Phew it was  hot ,was this wise! Dam your library lol.
I stood by the road put my pack down and my finger out. I laughed as four other hikers wheeled two shopping basket loaded up with stuff across the freeway .You couldn’t do that in the UK because of the Armco (central barrier)..
As they wheeled it to the motel a police car drew up beside them, but he was not I interested in trolleys he was hunting something else and a speeding driver was caught.
Zoom can’t make that noise but two screaming jets  shot buy I was still trying to see then in the sky  when a voice said you need a ride
Hi I’m trying to get to PCT!
Yes I know where that is so in I jumped and soon was standing  at the trailhead

I hoisted up my pack and began walking  but  was distracted  by several monuments  so    went  to look   a little later   on checking my GPS ,it told me I was off trail…Thanks I knew that.
I bushwhacked  until at last  Pct. marker post. I re-joined the trail; it was hot but with a gentle  breeze.
My optimistic goal was Robin Bird Spring,  I walked on getting higher. The rock formations were amazing the colours twists and fold. I was enjoying this ,then the Wind came, a mighty wind that sapped my energy and took the breath from  my  lips.

I could not breathe and struggled to stand . I pulled my bandana over my face, that  made  it slightly better.
I chugged up another switchback, at last I was the other side sheltered but it was cold, so cold I  had to stop and put on my wind jacket. That’s. much better  and headed on with renewed vigour I can do this I repeated to myself. I was doing well, felt great  and the mileage was falling . I must have zoned out as I shortly  crossed  a  600 miles marker. I have done 600 miles and was feeling great plenty of fuel in the tank, so I walked on. It was beginning to get dark .Come on brave snailtrainer you can do this I stopped and put on my head torch to be ready save me stopping again
I am here I am at the spring have I done all those miles it cannot be I’m not hurting. I fill my bottles. This is a very dry section and some water caches have been empty, so I am loaded with water even though  there is more water a head. Right need a campsite.
The wind is back,  dam I say to myself but then there is a perfect campsite it is sheltered beneath some trees Perfect.
I drop my pack, smooth out the ground, removing sticks , stones then scour  it for ants.
Then my tent is up, well almost the earth is about  2 inches deep so I can bang my pegs into rock I tried one a few days ago and they just break. So I have to thread my hiking poles through the loops and place big rocks on them
I am not confident about the wind, so I use all of the guys  and  also wrap them around big rocks .
Time for tea, I assemble my stove, rice tonight with tuna yummy. I always do a drink first then cook food after. Hot chocolate and a coffee mixed are what I fancy.
I surround my stove with rocks as a windbreak then light up. Drink made, now food but it is now dark. I switch on my head torch; it glows and goes out . Bugger I rummage in my top of my pack, the bag attached to the top of my pack. It is like Mary Poppins carpet bag you just cannot find anything I was looking for my spare torch so I could change the batteries in my  head torch. At last great but it too glows and goes off . Really, I say to myself. So, I find my phone then spent five minutes looking for the light app on my phone .
Got  it , at last the batteries are changed  Farce over back to tea.
That was. Scrumptious! !! Bed……………BUT!!
By 10 the Winds came back with vengeance. high above me, my tent was not affected , not buffeted , but the noise was incredible ,similar to a huge jet plane  Note to self-buy earplugs.
I lay awake tossing and turning at  1 am I decide to stick in my headphones  and listen to some music.