Day 30- a new hiking partner

As I lay here about 6 miles away from the road to tehachapi, I am so amazed at everything that we have hiked through in the last 24 hours and 30 miles. We started in pine trees yesterday, then dessert foothills, the California aqueduct, the LA aquaduct, the true dessert, some foothills into canyons in the dessert, then up an over the surrounding mountains, a burned section atop the mountains, then back into pine trees. These changes are what make the trail amazing and not to mention the outstanding views.

Today I woke up with about 9 or so miles to the faucet and cottonwood creek in the dessert. So I started walking. I went three miles then sat on a cement piling on the LA aqueduct. I ate lots of snack food, then smartass and Ryan showed up. I walked with them the rest of the 6 miles. It was terrible road walking or on the cement cover of the aqueduct today until we reached the edge of the dessert.we sat under the bridge over the creek for probably 30 minutes and rested. Dreamcrusher and tenderfoot showed up when we were about to leave. At that point Ryan and I walked across the scorching heat to the next water 7 miles away. It was a tiny creek but we stayed there out of the heat for over 3 hours. While we were there, little Buddha showed up. I didn't realize how funny he is. He has also done the trail before. We talked and got water and finally around 430 Ryan and I decided to get in ten more miles to shorten tomorrows hike. We climbed about 2000 feet to the top of some bare naked windy ridges. It was a bit cold. After a depressing walk through a burn area, we were both ready to call it a night. Then we saw a great cache with apples and water. We didn't need water but the apples immediately lifted our spirits and we got 3 more miles in.

The wildlife today consisted of literally millions of crickets hoping all over in the foothills of the dessert. They would hit your legs arms eyes face. Little Buddha said he was having a problem with them nailing him in his shaved head. There were lots of lizards. I saw two more mice, and many chipmunks. I also got a cool little video of me holding a horny toad. Well I can see tehachapi from the ridge I am sleeping on, so it should be a short walk then a town day. No big plans. I may hike a few miles out of town tomorrow evening if I can get everything done, or else I heard of a field near the post office to camp in.