We kind of expected this hike to be easy. That probably ensured that it would the hardest yet. The combination of heat, flies, monotonous trail, and unexpected difficulty finding the southern trailhead bruised our resolve. We hiked in opposite directions to avoid a two-car shuttle, and perhaps hiking alone made it harder too. Ann used a waist pack instead of her usual backpacking rig, and was already having back pain when I met her halfway. We figured after earning these miles we’d treat ourselves to dinner and drinks at Harry’s Roadhouse, which eases our suffering considerably. Too bad that won’t be an option after a hard day in the Great Basin!