Rose: ice cream, swimming at the KOA Thorn: the heat before reaching Acton Bud: breakfast in Aqua Dulce, the Vasquez Rocks

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Another windy night. I cowboy camped and the wind wasn’t as strong, so it was a slightly better sleep… by not much. The sleep deprivation is getting to me.

I got not too much of a head start before the others, so they jumped ahead in not too long. Only seven miles to the water cache at an unstaffed USFS ranger station. We didn’t linger so that we could hustle through the remaining 8 miles to the KOA in Acton. People told me there was a pool. I wanted to swim in that pool.

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The hike was HOT. it was fine at first. The sun slowed me a down a little. I busted out the umbrella. The umbrella has been clutch the last few days. I’m remembering the heat…and hating it.

The trail meandered on exposed side hills. After about four miles, Acton came into view and taunted me for the next two hours. I hiked with Mitch for about half an hour before he sped ahead.

By the time I got to Acton, I was a little sun dazed. The others had been there for a bit so they were renewed energy, already having sorted through their boxes and hydrated. I was a little overwhelmed. Like I get when I go to the city on errand day. They were trying to hurry along to get things in the laundry. I needed time to adjust. Some quiet, but I moved along.

I showered, did laundry, and sorted through my resupply box. I washed the clothes I needed to wear in the sink. After, I felt refreshed.

There were so many hikers. Draped all over the picnic tables, lawn, swimming pool. People from the bubble. Other tramilies. It is nice to socialize with other people.

Mitch is splitting off to camp with his buddy for the night. He’ll rejoin us in Aqua Dulce with goodies that his buddy secured. I bet he keeps hiking. He’s not terribly patient, and he’s seemed distant the last few days. It’ll be up to us to catch up with him.

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I worked my persuasive suggestions to convince the group to camp at the KOA for the night. Sweet! My mental health needs to socialize with others and needs to swim in that swimming pool.

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The swimming pool is actually a little cold with the wind too. I stayed to socialize more than to swim.

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We succumbed to ordering pizza. It was so delicious. Then we needed to finish Semi’s whiskey, so we bought some Coca Colas, sat around the table, and charged our phones.