May 4

Start: 84.5 on the side of the hill
End: barrel springs cg
Daily: 17
Total: 101.5!! Woo!!

What a crazy day! We woke up after a beautiful night cowboy camping (there was a shooting star so long and bright I could see it after Chris told me to look, with my contacts out). We made it to the Third Gate Cache in time to meet trail angels who were there to bring up over 100 gallons of water for thru hikers. Without that it would be a 25 mile stretch without water (we're in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park). We were able to help them carry water up the .5 mile hill from their truck. They drive there from over 70 miles away just to bring us water in the desert.

Water caches are weird. They definitely encourage irresponsibility on the part of hikers to not carry enough water ... And they're often empty when hikers get there because other people were relying on the caches too. So then a hiker is stuck in the desert without water. Not a good situation. A lot of people got there completely out of water. I think that's irresponsible. I would never totally rely on a cache. But we did take a liter each to make the next 11 miles more bearable. I arrived at the next water source with over a liter left. So I could have left the liter, but it was nice to know it was there.

Another thru hiker was a huge jerk to one of the angels who brought the water (who also happened to be the guy who gave us a ride yesterday - he had pants on today). I asked the angel what the water was like at the next water source, because we had been told festering rats (ew) had been pulled out of the spring source. The angel explained that it was still contaminated and that the design of the pool made it basically a mouse trap. The thru hiker asked if the design could be fixed and when the angel started to explain that there was a lot of bureaucracy around that, the hiker cut him off and said to the rest of us, "I don't think he understands." Like he was dog who hadn't figured out a trick or something. I had gotten bad vibes from this guy when he pulled up. I spent the rest of the day fuming about that and thinking of things we should have said. I can't believe he treated a trail angel that way. The hiker acted like he was better than the trail angel because he wore better clothes or something - exactly the thing you go thru hiking to avoid. Ugh. I'm glad most thru hikers are awesome.

Anyway, so we left Third Gate, found a shady spot - which were few and far between - and waited out the hottest part of the day. Then we got up feeling the magnetic pull of Warner Springs (a resort with showers and laundry!!) but not looking forward to drinking rat water (we would have treated it, but still). We walked all the way down the desert mountains... And when we got close there was a sign that said "simpler times ahead... Bud too!" Then there were more signs pointing us away from the rat infested water and towards... We couldn't believe it was for real. There were motor homes with a grill with chili dogs and beer and FRESH water and a fire and everyone else who made it down the hill that day. We didn't have to drink rat water because these people brought us fresh water and chairs and food. I felt like it was April Fool's day - "You're going to have to drink rat infested water... Just kidding! Here's a cold beer." It was amazing.

Everyone's asleep now, so I should sleep too.