I tell myself we are here to walk. We should appreciate all aspects of the trail. Monotonous sections are an opportunity for meditation. But the endless ridge contours of the morning nearly drive us mad. We’re thinking ahead, hoping to reach Kennedy Meadows to make a call for a ride into Ridgecrest by nightfall. We finally reach a view of the spectacular domelands, but each mile gets longer. We show up very tired at dark in Kennedy Meadows, walk a mile to learn there are no phones there. A couple more miles and some good fortune bring us to the Grumpy Bear restaurant, and eventually “down the hill” to a phone. Our first shower since April 15 occurs late at night, back in the desert at Pete’s mom’s house.