Rose: visit to REI Thorn: having to turn back from ankle pain Bud: a good night’s sleep on my new air mattress

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What a horrendous night of sleep (or lack there of). On one side of the KOA was a bush highway and on the other was railroad tracks. The highway traffic abaited 11pm—4:30am but was otherwise very noisy. The trains came through blasting their horns throughout the night. The 3am train was particularly disruptive to sleeping. On top of that was a nearby zoo (?) with the occasionally roaring/moaning lion/tiger; the neighboring hikers; the flickering street light; and the building lights not too far away.

I had set an early alarm (4 am). I was more than ready to just GTFO. I lingered while I downloaded new audiobooks and podcasts. Hikers started packing up around me. Once I had gotten the beta on how to get back to trail without walking on the road (with its crazy drivers in the dark), I left.

We were immediately in the desert again. Exposed. Brush lands. Sidehilling. All the different muscles and tendons in my lower legs took turns hurting. My right ankle started hurting like it had a week ago. I taped and braced it without too much relief. What I suspected was being proven true: I needed new shoes. Last night Twizzler (Tory) had texted me the number of a hiker who was local, getting off trail for a couple days with family, and was willing to drive to REI that day (Raphael). I pulled out my phone, hiked until I found some reception, and texted him that I wanted in on a REI trip during the afternoon siesta. New shoes and a new sleeping pad.

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The trail meandered to Alvarez Rocks, which were cool, but not more impressive than other rock formations. The social trails led right into the town of Aqua Dulce.

I asked a hiker with a tiny pack to shake down my pack. He didn’t have many things to critique actually. I’ll take into account the things he suggested on this next leg.

While me and a few others waited for Raphael, we drank margaritas at the Mexican restaurant.

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I spent $385 at the Burbank REI on just two items: new shoes and a new sleeping pad. Yikes. Raphael took his time in the REI (like two hours), so we all kept going in and being tempted by other gear. It’s good that we can only have what we carry on our back.

My sleeping pad is twice the weight and bulk of my old one, but I need a good nights sleep. It better pay off.

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On the way back to Aqua Dulce, we grabbed In & Out. At first we hemmed and hawed about getting anything. “I don’t think I’d get much.” “Only a milkshake for me.” “I’d only get something if you get something.” Raphael made the decision to stop. By the time we were done ordering (and getting orders over the phone from Semi & Shuffles), we had put in a $70 order. Four boxes of food. Raphael wouldn’t let us pay him, just promise that we would “pay it forward.”

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Semi & Shuffles we’re siestaing at “Serenity Oasis,” where Farmer John is attempting to set up a primitive camping spot for us hikers on his property to replace the lose of Hiker Heaven in town.

The heat was grueling, but we headed out at 6pm. The first 2 miles was along a road, and my ankle was hurting. Not broken, not torn, but achy and tired. I hung to the back of the group and cried out of fear: I don’t want to be the next person to get off trail due to injury.

I held up the group to tell them (through tears) that I was going to turn back, find a campground to hang out at, rest up for a couple days, and meet them at Hikertown. Josh was there during my confession and goodbyes. He smoked me out and gave me encouragement. As I walked back to Serenity Oasis, a woman offered me a ride.

I set up my tent amongst the three other tents, helped Farmer John put up some shade tents in the dark, and then went to sleep.