5/9/2022: Tuesday

Camped at mile 241 with Toby, Asaf and Blue.

This was such a memorable day. The morning started with coffee, oatmeal and being able to charge devices on the porch of the Whitewater Reserve visitor center.
6:45 am start
Started the day with the shirt off. I walked in dried up river bed and with the rising sun. A huge climb today. Start by wading pool, river bed, big climb up canyon in high desert forest. Camping in 30 degree weather with Asaf, Tobie and Blue.
Hands too cold to write more. Blue showed up at end of day as we were winding down. Opened Maisie’s “Open me whenever you feel like it letter.” Wow!

The hike up the canyon into the Big Bear Mt range was slow and hot. I kept the feet hot and skirted up most of it before pausing for lunch and waiting for Asaf and Pilot. We met, Killdeer, named after the bird because he loved taking pictures of birds and animals and all of nature. He had like 15 lbs of camera equipment on him. He was not moving fast. I wonder how far he made it. That’s the thing with only learning people’s trail names, it’s real hard to find them in real life after the trail.
Asaf and Blue pitched tents for the evening. Tobie and I elected to cowboy camp and face the fierce cold that was coming in over night. I prefer being out in the open air when I sleep. Shooting stars became commonplace, a full moon a flashlight awaking me in the middle of the night. We knew it was going to be cold this night. We should’ve pitched some tents.