Day 98 The Basin day 3

July 20^th

 

I woke early and felt great, luckily the wind had died down last night
I stripped down my tent and made a cuppa from my remaining water.
I was just finishing up  when  OMG  silver  appeared 
Good morning Snail trainer. Good to see you
We chatted for 5 minutes before he headed off
I quickly  finished up  and  took off after him. It was early, 6am but was already getting hot (thank you basin)
There should be a water cache in 4 miles fingers crossed but also another pond  just before.
I pounded down the trial feeling great and it wasn’t too long until I spied the pond .
I dropped my pack and walked to wards it with 1 bottle. As I neared its edge  I noticed a figure  sitting by the edge, it turned out  to  be Franzia
Hi there where are your buddies ?
It appears that she stopped for a nap yesterday and just fell asleep lol   
I grabbed water then headed back to my  pack…..
By  now she was a head of  me so I  followed  her ,
In the distance I could see a trail head and a person .
When I arrived there was Silver and Franzia  and two boxes full of water jugs (large water bottles )

I filled up my bottles and bladder and signed the book, the two left but I need a few more minutes.  I was just about to leave when a figure arrived who I recognized.  It was Shredder ,I hiked may miles of the PCT with so we ended up chatted for another 10 minutes.

We headed off down the trail together but today I was faster so passed him and headed off following the winding sandy road.
God  it was hot again  and so I  put up my umbrella again , but had to be careful when a gust of wind appeared .
I pushed on for  several hours until I needed water. It was marked as a spring on my map, but  I couldn’t see it  in fact I walked past  it several  times until I spotted the worn trail in the field. When I arrived , sat  in the shade was Silver and  Shredder.

I quickly dropped my pack , grabbed water before  trying to find  some sort of  shade.
I decided to make some tea, two cups  in fact.
As I sat almost dozing many other hikers arrived, 5-course, Gourmet, Heavy & Mouse, Cross creek and Marty. A good  gathering. Shredder then took off and I followed about 10 minutes later.
By now the wind had picked up and I began to struggle with my umbrella then whoosh.
A mighty wind quickly turned my umbrella inside out with such force it snapped off the vanes, Bugger that’s the end of you my faithful companion….I struggled to disconnect it from my pack as the wind ripped at it.
Dam typically when it’s  as  hot as hell you destroy my umbrella, I shoved it  into my  pack and stomped off down the never ending sandy road.
The next water was in 4 miles, I  drank  steadily the  next  spring (Mormon)  soon appearing. It was in a field  just off trail but needed some detective work to locate it.
Sadly it wasn’t as nice as the last  water, but  hey  its  water. I topped up as this would be my last stop as I wasn’t sure that I would make it to the river. The the river would be a 32-mile day my biggest so far but hey you never know.
I pushed on ,watching the hours tick by, I was heavy with water and there were several climbs but  oddly  I seem to have extra energy  today. Up ahead I noticed a figure so set off after it . I  was gaining,  gaining  and  eventually caught shredder.
Slowing up fella  I said.
We walked on together until the trail became an actual road and was amazed to see two cyclist come by. Its amazes me where these people just come from.
Okay I need a break so stopped by the side of the road, shredder was pushing on to the river which was only 1.4 miles away
After 10 minutes I took off again and could see shredder in the distance climbing yet another hill, I pushed on after him until I reached a cattle Grid  to the left hand side was the perfect spot. Okay that will do me.

I Cleared the area of stones and soon had my tent up, As I got set up 5-course, Gourmet, and Cross creek came by.
A little later a white car appeared and a man in a Stetson got out, I presumed it was  the Rancher and  I asked if  I was okay camping  where I was? ,
But it was 4 French  guys on holiday, so we had  a quick conversation I asked if they had any spare water but sadly not , then they drove off,
I had finished cooking and was just admiring the Sunrise when the cows appeared , and were coming my way to sleep…Maybe I was in their spot. As they spent the next 10 minutes plus mooing

Mileage 29