​Even though I’m in a dark room, I still wake at 6:30 like clockwork. I make a pot of coffee and start going through my gear and making a list of what to do today: resupply, laundry, post office, library, watch more TV until check out time, and connect with Nikki and Adrian when they hike through town!

I get the resupply done first, and I’m feeling daring so I choose a can of ravioli to pack out. Not ultralight!

I fail to find anything interesting on TV, yet again reminding me why I don’t have a TV at home.

I get through some of my other chores and the 2 hikers roll in about lunch time, so we head to the Homestead to eat. I’m excited to hear about their trip! They’ve seen wild horses, what they think are big horned sheep, and almost no people, and it’s exactly what they were hoping for. It’s great to share stories of what lies ahead for us in different directions,  and I’m still amazed this is Adrian’s first thru-hike.

After lunch I do laundry and stop by the library. I pick up another book to read on the trail…a paperback of course, and finally walk out of town about 3pm. The first miles north of town are a long road walk, but it’s beautiful out, and don’t mind at all.

I’m tucked into some sagebrush for the night. Rain is in the forcast for the first time on the trip…or the summer. This might take the edge off fire season. It’s supposed to be rainy tomorrow too, so I might stop short of Diablo Rim which is quite exposed…save that for the next day when it should be clear skies again.

The ground is all sand and I have trouble setting up the tarp. The wind keeps blowing hard enough to yank my stakes out of the ground, so I tried to tie off to sagebrush. It’s a contorted affair, but I think I’ll stay dry tonight.