Day 3 4/18 Wednesday 7:15pm mile 45

I already look like a piece of beef jerky.  At least my hands do.  I scorched my thumb being too committed to lighting my stove in the wind.  I liked the early start this morning - 6am - and on the trail I hiked in the middle of the two sets of Israelis.  Yotam and Nadav a ways in front, and Maya and Tav behind.  The stretch of trail between sunrise highway and Fred's canyon was steep down on the right with a valley bathed the early morning sun below.  My friend from kickoff, David, and his hiking partner Micheal were at the little stream in the canyon.  I caught up with him as I filled up my water bottles, and then he and I hiked with the Israelis up the next steep stretch.  Yotam and Nadav and I chose a spot for breakfast nestled into the rocky wall of the trail.  We were joined by Maya and Tav, and spent the rest of the morning hiking at our own paces.  The temperature was a little cooler than the intense heat of the past few days, and there there was even snow on the ground in many places throughout the 12 mile hike to the store at Mt. Laguna.  Pine trees appeared very quickly a few miles before the store, transforming the rocky, scraggy climbs I'd been battling to Narnia-esque forest with large pockets of snow.  At the store we all reconnected.  I saw the Brits, all the Israelis, Michael.  The gang was all there.  I ate lunch out of my pack before treating myself to a push pop and extra strength chapstick from the store.  Most people stayed around the store for the night either in cabins or close by, but Michael, Nadav, and Yotam and I decided to press on a few more miles.  Supper, stretching, and very soon snoring is about how the evening went.  I'm very sore, and think it is going to be a cold night.  My legs are killing me, and I think the bottom of my feet are bruised.  There is a lot to look forward to over the next few days though, and I'm excited.  The Anza Borrego Desert!  Just before finding somewhere sheltered to sleep there was a magnificent view of the distant desert, and at the far end a dash of sparkling that is the Salton Sea.

Georgia