Day 26-Hikers Invade the Pool

Mile 425 at the Ranger Station to mile 445

Rock formations along the trail

For some reason I slept really badly last night, so I was up pretty early.  And it was hot early.  There was a short climb up in the sun and then the trail mostly leveled out in the shade with huge views all around.  It was a nice way to start the morning.

Eight miles into the day was the last water of the day at a KOA .2 off trail.  Rumor had it there was shower and a swimming pool.  There was about eight of us milling around in the shade eating ice cream looking longingly at the beautiful blue water of the swimming pool.

After ice cream I took a quick shelter-everybody figured we shouldn't turn the pool water brown with our hiker funky-ness.  Did a little hiker laundry in the sink and then with a bit of a run and a jump it was into the pool.

Some of the guys enjoying the hot tub

Then it was into the hot tub.  Then the pool.  Repeat for an hour and throw in some guys doing cannonballs for good measure.  Drying off and packing up took forever-it was too nice of a place to leave.

It was ten miles of hot and exposed trail with no water to look forward too.  The guide book said there were at most two trees for shade.  The first four miles were mostly uphill too just to make things more challenging.

Four miles from town there was a drainage tunnel under an interstate.  It was nice and cool in there.  I took a short break in there, but with only four miles to go, I didn't want to linger long.

Vasquez Rocks

The next stretch of trail was almost otherworldly.  The trail waved through Vasquez Rocks-huge sandy rock mountains.  They looked impressive against the clear blue sky.

Vasquez Rocks

Towards the end of the area the trail got a little hard to follow.  There were a lot of social trails cutting through the scrub.  I was hiking with Tommy at this point and we could see the road we were going to and just followed the different paths to get there.

My KOA water ran out almost as soon as I hit the pavement.  Not long after that a pick up truck full of hikers pulled over.  It was being driven by L-Rod, the women in charge of the Hiker Heaven-my home for the next two nights.  Super Girl, Tommy, and I piled into the truck for the short drive up the hill to the Saufley's.