Today I woke after almost no sleep. Arugula and I both had food poisoning from Thai. We think it was the shrimp. I was on the toilet all night. I felt gross but we got up and walked to the bakery before trail where I had the best danishes I’ve ever had, at least except for the ones I’ve had in Denmark. We got an Uber to the trail and started right away. I saw a coyote trotting curiously in the distance. Stopping a few times to inspect me. The wind was ridiculous and kept pushing me the opposite direction from where I was going. A few times it almost knocked me over.

I had a new pair of shoes sent to town (thanks, mom) and they seemed to help though my arches still felt questionable. I frustratingly hiked the 8 miles down to highway 58. I cursed at the trail as it blew me every which way. I was so annoyed. The trail crosses highway 58 and has a register to sign in at which is the place Cheryl Strayed started her hike. Someone jokingly had written her name in sharpie on the log box so I snapped a photo even though the year is off. The trail then paralleled the highway and then did an obnoxiously steep and hot climb up a couple thousand feet. We stopped every 5 or so miles and took a break. There was no water for the next 17 miles, no surprise. I tried to stretch it the best I could.

The trail followed a dirt road for almost 5 miles. It was easy hiking but I was so tired. This was the closest yet I’d felt to passing out. The combination of no sleep, little water, and blistering heat led to that. Arugula said she felt the same. At the last break everyone left before me, about 8 people. I ate a clif bar and drank a liter of water and somehow found new energy and had no arch or leg pain. I passed all of them somehow and then let Arugula ahead of me on the last .3. We arrived at camp and picked out the two best spots before everyone arrived and they were taken. I made dinner, stretched, filtered water, and now am going to crash. Today was a good day. So close to Kennedy Meadows!