June 4th
We were later in starting than we wanted, as sometimes happens after being in town and being up later.
The day began with a contour of peaks and then a series of several long downs and ups. The radio predicted highs of 102 in Owens valley. It was not much cooler in some of the canyons we dropped into.
We leapfrogged with the Honeymooners, Right On and Blue Moon, Dr Feelgood, and the Horse people.
After 650 miles the trail has been an interesting collage of familiar scenes and vistas as well as fresh impressions of forgotten places. But all of these images seem more cohesive now, this time around. I think that instead of just seeing isolated images, I have a better understanding of the context in which we are experiencing them. The trail is more unified or whole to me as I piece together the formerly disparate parts. Seeing far off peaks and ridges and seeing them as they are related to the place we ifnd ourselves in is part of this. But knowing when transitions are short lived or temporary or more permanent is another. It’s a giant connect the dots game in which I can already visualize the end result.
Spanish Needle Creek, normally a very dependable source of water was drying up, just a trickle. Still its shade was soothing and we took a 3-hour lunch at its 2nd crossing. Resting up for a shadeless climb of 2,000 feet back to the crest. The climb was very interesting to me, as I had hiked it at night in 94 and could now see all its vistas as well as all of its humbling switchbacks.
We got into Chimney campground just before dark. It’s a BLM site and the host has cold sodas and candy bars for sale, a strong incentive to hike on after dusk.
