This being the nineteenth day of the excursion surpasses my previous record for wilderness excursions. Eighteen days trading off rowing a boat down the Grand Canyon covering over two hundred river miles. Well, we have walked much more than that in the same amount of time. Its just a drop in the bucket compared to what lies before us.
Morale was a little low for me today. The miles kind of dragged and were especially tiring. Scenery was a bit lacking and or drab. Day two of the tour of industry. We did annoying little ridge contours all morning looking to our right at a highway. Under a dam and up over a ridge we got a nice vista of Silver Wood Lake. The reservoir was a bit low. People in L.A. must be sucking down the water this spring. A nasty contouring dirt shore showed where the full line was. Scores of people zipped around on jet skis. The little bursts on the throttle trebly wafted up to us on the trail.
It seemed as if things would improve after lunch. We had but a short distance to go to camp and it was still early in the day. Unfortunately, a wrong turn ended up making the day long and tiring. I found thirty eight ticks on me. Not one with its teeth sunk in. Pete 38 Ticks 0. Now we are in Crowder Canyon both happier after a good dinner. Filling the air is a mix of birdcalls and the popping hum of some huge power lines directly overhead. One night closer to brain cancer! Oh! The cars on the interstate. We can hear them as well.
The mood change I mentioned yesterday has yet to manifest into anything substantial. Dyl said, this morning, that he kind of felt like he was walking with one foot in another world and he seemed maniacally happy. It seemed like it could of perhaps been the beginning of something. Instead, the rest of the day just went to shit. Well, just part of it. The rest was mediocre.
Tomorrow we start off early with breakfast at a restaurant near where we cross under the interstate. The rest of the day will be consumed with the twenty two mile, 5000 ft., waterless climb into the San Gabriel Mountains. It will be exhausting but psychologically a nicer day. Something about getting up high in the mountains feels good.