Oh what a long tiring day. The stomach just thought it was king in Mojave. At this point the feet, and deservedly so, are demanding equal rights. The legs and shoulders are backing the feet. The stomach’s brash usurpation of power has even caught the attention of the head office upstairs. My whole body is in pain. Everything is in a weary mess, except the stomach. It is full and content. In fact, I am full well past the means of the daily rations counted out back at the super market. Around mid-day today I determined that it has come to a point of necessity that I lighten my pack. There are two ways to do so. Leave food on the trail for those behind; or, eat it. Dylan and I have both begun to eat as much as we possibly can. Hopefully, the last two meals will enable us to actually go twenty miles tomorrow. We have yet to accomplish such a feat this section. This afternoon, as fatigue was beginning to totally overwhelm us both, I dubbed this segment, “The seven day struggle.” Brought to you by the makers of the four day feast.

Keeping us sane is the amazing remoteness and beauty of the Piute mountains. It is the nicest stretch in a long time. We can see Mt. Owens on the horizon. It means two things. The long anticipated Sierra Nevada range and Mom’s house off its east slope in the Indian Wells valley. We were able to send a message out to Mom with a south bound hiker to have a water filter dropped off at Walker Pass. It will help us along to our five days of T.V., carryless calories, a couch, wash machine, lovely girlfriend, and a chance to repair equipment and prepare for the snow awaiting north of Kennedy Meadows. Snow that just may blanket a few hundred miles.