Start:  0730 - Tylerhorse Canyon
End:  1530 - Tehachapi Willow Springs Road (then hitched to Motel 6 in Mohave)
Miles (today): 17
Miles (cumulative): 575.5 (474.5 PCT, 89.5 alternate, 11.5 off) 

The wind was brutal last night!  The tent survived (despite our little zipper issue) but we woke up covered in dirt and sand.   Waking up with gritty sand in your mouth takes morning breath to a whole new level.  :)  I must admit, our tent is pretty amazing despite being a pain in the you-know-what to set up.  Nick said he saw Dirt Squirrel and Nettles on the trail and apparently their tent did NOT survive the wind. :( 

Neither of us slept well (again) - even with earplugs, the sound of the tent flapping in the wind was very loud.  Plus, the ground wasn't exactly flat so we were both sliding to one side all night.  With our lack of sleep, the heat, and the seemingly endless incline we faced at the start, I felt sluggish and unmotivated.  You'd think I'd learn by now to stop thinking things like, "this has to be the last climb to the top" because it never, ever is.  

The heat was particularly brutal, the climb was rough, and I was growing concerned that the 2.5 liters of water I was carrying wouldn't last the 17 miles to the next water source.   The entire morning was a huge mental challenge.  

But then, near the top, I encountered the Mile 549 Bar and Grill (trail magic).  Proton had texted me about it a few days ago but I forgot it existed (you never want to count on these things anyway).  It was exactly what I needed!  The apples were great, the water was a welcome site, and being able to sit in a legit chair (as opposed to the ground) was wonderful.  I celebrated by eating an apple and drinking a Fizz Stick (part of Candee's care package).  

At the apple cache I met Hamburger, Hurdy Gurdy, and Half Moon - they all said that Coopertone was waiting for us at the bottom!  Nick and I had lunch together at the cache and then I was gone - it's amazing how much better your body functions when it's well-hydrated (and when you've enjoyed a Fizz Stick and are motivated my more trail magic).

I practically flew down the mountain and before I knew it, I was sitting in a chair at Coppertone's enjoying a banana. 

Ice Cream was there, too, and he said that he has enjoyed ice cream every day since being named Ice Cream.  I said I've enjoyed an apple every day since being named Apples.  I joked that it's because of our names and that we need to find someone else with a food name to hang out with - and then Hamburger walked up.  I laughed. 

I thought I was going to get a root beer float this time but when I tried some of Nick's I realized one bite was plenty.  It was good but sweets still aren't my thing - fresh fruit is so much better!

Proton texted to let me know he could give us a ride to Mohave (they took 2 zeros in Tehachapi and rented a car), so I attempted to text him for a ride.  My service was spotty, though, so when another guy offered us a ride we took it.  As we were checking in to the Motel 6 who shows up but Proton!  It turns out my text had gone through but his reply saying he was on his way didn't.  He said he missed us by 2 minutes!  I felt horrible until he told me he gave a few other hikers a ride instead (so I don't feel quite so bad, although I don't feel good about it). I hope we get a chance to actually hang out with Proton in the future.

Taking a shower after being covered in dirt and sand felt fantastic.  When I got out of the shower I looked in the mirror and saw blood streaming out of my nose - I can't even remember the last time I had a bloody nose!  The air IS pretty dry (and we did just walk through a very windy section) but damn!  I think it's my body's way of telling me we deserve a little break. 

I did laundry and met more crowd support in the laundry room, Mitch and Victor.  They made me laugh.  I like to laugh.  Laughing is fun. :)

Special K and Star are here, too. Since Nick and I are officially homeless as of today (we FINALLY closed on the house!!!! It's a miracle!!) we decided to celebrate with some drinks.  Turquoise, Ash Hole, Dozer, and Gopher came over, too, and we had a little party of sorts in our room.  It was fun to relax and get to know other hikers.  

A lot of great things happened today (the apple cache, Coppertone, closing on the house, showering, meeting more hikers) but my favorite part of the day was getting to see one of my good college friends/roommates, Jeff!  I am so grateful that our friend Rebecca put us in touch with each other! I had no idea he was living so close to the trail and he had no idea I was even hiking the trail.  We haven't seen each other in 10 years!  After he got off work for the day (he works for Virgin Galactic - yeah, Jeff is an actual rocket scientist, he's wicked smart, and he's pretty awesome) he stopped by the motel to visit.  Seeing him made me so happy!!!! He even brought me an apple! :) Hopefully we'll get to spend more time together tomorrow.  

Looking forward to our zero - for the first time ever I don't feel guilty at all for taking one.

Along the trail: