Day 29 - Hikertown

The last two days were a blur. The heat, the terrible water, the long miles, no battery between the two of us, only our thoughts and each other for company and distraction. On the 28th we hiked 25 miles with long water caries, acquiring water through a barely trickling stream, and brown-colored terrible smelling water from a cistern. 1/10, would not recommend.

These last three days, I have thought of nothing but heat. How it feels, but also how it tastes (like dehydration, sticky mouth, electrolytes), looks (like heat waves, bright earth, no shade), sounds (like silence, no birds, too hot even for reptiles to sun themselves), smells (like dirt). Pushing through the heat is a battle of the mind more than the body, and it takes everything out of you.

Today we hiked 20 miles into Hikertown, where we were finally able to charge our devices (which we use hourly for our map and guidebook, amongst other entertainment).

Hikertown is a small plot of land where many hikers gather before the masses take on “The Aqueduct”—the LA Aqueduct which protrudes above ground for ten miles between Acton and Tehachapi. This stretch is known for its flat elevation, unbearable heat, and lack of shade, so hikers head out in troves in the middle of the night to cover this stretch. We plan to leave tonight at 1:30 with five others. Anxious energy abounds in Hikertown. Here we go.