Day 6: The Early Slow Birds ... Get the Best Site

Campsite with a view on Granite Mt.

Today was a long, hot day.  A number of us ended up nestled in that draw last night, and Melissa and I were the first up and out.  Oh, not because we're crazy and fast, but because we knew we'd need to break often to stay well and get the miles in.  And miles we got.  15 of 'em.  Nothing remarkable by PCT standards, but great for us considering the nagging aches and pains.  We stopped on one of the few flat spots coming off a ridge, and our site has been the envy of everyone who had not already passed us during the day.  A Wet-Wipe bath, spaghetti dinner, and incredible view -- better than a Hilton!

With the heat, it was a quiet, tiring day.  Flowering cacti were the highlight of the hike.  I'd never seen them flower before.  Just stunning.  We moved into a drier ecology throughout the day -- prickly pear and agave replacing wildflowers and yucca.  And I continue to take great pleasure in the birds.  I don't know them down here, but I can pick out flycatchers, sparrows, robins, meadowlarks, towhees, hummers, and the nightly calls of the owls.  There is something grounding and familiar about spotting and acknowledging a bird.  It makes everything a bit lighter, brings just enough joy to put a smile on your face and a bound in your step.  At least if you talk to them.  Which I, of course, do.

Who would have thought that such a mean plant produced such a gorgeous flower!

Tomorrow, we head to a campground for a real shower, a rest, and a few odds and ends from the camp store.  (We're a few days behind.)  Hopefully, with a little rest, we'll start to move from early slow birds to the wicked fast cheetahs we always wanted to be as kids.