4th July
My Alarm bleeped at 5 am I was going to leap out of bed and hit the trail. Honest I was but I  pressed snooze
And again and again  I emerged at 6 am packed up and was on the trail by half past 6 .
The sun was already warm maybe 5 am would if been wiser .I pounded off down the trail singing stupid songs in my head and sometimes out loud >I was heading to Castella but there was no rush as Osprey had agreed to swap out my pack and throw in a rain cover for free and so it wouldn’t be at Castella until Monday/Tuesday so I planned to relax in the state park one maybe two days and wait for it .A new pack whoop  I can’t wait.
The trail started fairly level  and I was zipping along in my old little world. Eventually I came to a main road and played is the trail to the left or to the right (eight using GPS) Perhaps I need glasses lol there you are trail and a marker sign Mexico  Canada I love these Mexico is going up and Canada mileage is coming down yeah.

I walked on till I came to a large bridge over a dry river bed weird I thought!,then I came to the outskirts of a camp and a drop toilet  heaven ! and a working tap even better oh and better still a trash can. I always seem to have to much trash. So i dropped off the trash and filled up with water..
About a mile on there was a sign for Burney falls. It was a side trail but as  i’m a tourist i began to follow it . The sign said falls loop well that will do.
OMG the falls are amazing and the signs explain why the river bed is dry. It’s because of the volcanic rock.

The water flows under the rock until it bursts out of the ground and drops over the falls bloody Awesome . I  stood and stared for a while before continuing on on the loop then back to the pct.After three hours I stopped for Breakfast  and relaxed
It was getting hot .but I had plenty of water.  For the rest of the day the trail seemed to constantly climb
I dare not look at the profile on my Gps in case it was more scary. It’s wasn’t steep just never ending. I was sweating buckets  as I climbed ever higher down in the valley I spied a very enticing river but I was many thousands of feet higher Bugger i would love a swim

Higher and higher I climbed then i noticed a path on the opposite hill well I guess we must cross the river I said to myself.  I marched on for several miles and then in the distance was a bridge. Maybe  the river is accessible .Hurrah yes it is I climbed down from the bridge dropped my pack ripped off my clothes and gently slid beneath the cooling waters .My first skinny dipping on the trail and god it felt good .I washed the grime from my poor feet. A shower doesn’t get the ingrained muck off. I swam about as happy as can be.then while I’m here I washed my socks shirt and shorts ,they will be dry in minutes .
Then a few more swims .I could of  actually stayed here all day .I lied on the rocks to dry before getting dressed,I was just climbing back to the bridge when white Angel came by i laughed your too late  I’m dressed now.dam she said I may of joined you lol.
I left her to get water and continued  on my way .The trail still continued up hill and the sun continued to shine
The next water was in 7 miles yes I’ve plenty but as the sun got hotter I was glugging water .But hurrah a spring  I love springs fresh ice cold water and no filtering required. I wandered down the side trail. .Great not far. I tried a cup full first gorgeous then another and another before filling up 2 more litres. I was just climbing back up when white Angel came up the trail. I told her how good the water was then began walking. Seemed we were going to leap frog each other all day.
It was now getting late well 5 pm and the climbing and the sun had exhausted me.i passed white Angel again who was setting up camp.
But I wanted to walk on so  said goodbye and  continued on the trail ,and still uphill. I thought i would  do another hour but my legs were tired .need a camp I kept saying to myself
There it was flat maybe a bit open but I was tired maybe I may regret this site  i tell you tomorrow.
I put my tent up but had problems getting he pegs in as the ground  as it was rock so I tied the guys around large stones. Well it won’t blow away while I’m in it .but it will be blowy.

I cooked tea and had three hot drinks,Unusual  but i was so parched . Then as there were not bugs,mosies or wasps  to deal with I lied on my sleeping bag with the tent flaps open and watched an amazing sunset. There is a huge mountain In the background but i haven’t a clue what it’s called
Right guess it’s bed zz