17.9 miles
542.5 AZT mile marker
We were packed up and ready to hit the trail by 7 when the grocery store opened. They have a deli with good fresh made food and we wanted to hit that before going back to the trail. I had 3 bananas and a big breakfast burrito, and I packed out a second burrito for later.
We set ourselves up to hitch and got a ride in about 15 minutes from a local whose ranch was near the trailhead. There was someone in town we could arrange a ride back with, but we both preferred to hitch instead since we figured it would be it would be easy enough and we wouldn’t have to get someone to make a special trip to shuttle us back.
Back on trail, we immediately crossed the Gila River on an old road bridge and the trail then started winding its way through some hills, up and away from the river. This quickly gave views of the mountains and canyons behind us, and the large open pit copper mine near Kearny.
It quickly got warm since it was sunny and I was at low elevation. Not warm enough to matter much, but it’s always a factor out here. I’m in the Sonoran Desert now with little cover.
After some climbing, I met Kevin, another thru-hiker who was taking a break in a small shady spot on top of hill. He gave up his spot and moved on and I replaced him. I’m trying to go slower now and take more breaks to reenergize and remotivate myself o the trail.
After going through initial hills/mountains, the trail settled into flatter terrain. It followed a wash up for a bit where I took to the easy wash walk instead of weaving back and forth across it on the official trail.
There was a spring which was funneled into a barrel where I got my first water. The area was covered in bees, including the spigot for the barrel, and I had to coax the bees off with my hiking pole before I could get my water. I didn’t stick around there long, but took a break in a shady bend of the wash just upstream.
The trail got fairly level and crossed some relatively flat desert for the rest of the day. It was pretty uneventful but pleasant. I leapfrogged with Kevin some, and we ended up walking some 2 track together and talking which helped pass the time.
I got water for the night at a wildlife waterer which was similarly swarming with bees. It seems to be a pattern with water out here, and has been an issue even before today.
I saw a small snake, maybe a baby rattler without its rattle yet. Its tail was striped as if something was supposed to be there but I don’t know if that’s how they develop. That was only my second snake of the trip. I saw one that looked like a coral snake a couple days ago that quickly got off the trail before I could get a picture.
I passed Druide in his tent and continued on with Kevin until the sun was starting to go down and I found a flat enough tent spot. We went 0.2 off trail on the road we were following past a subtle turnoff, but it didn’t take long to backtrack.
I felt much better and more motivated for the hike today which I really needed. I had planned on doing some shorter days, but looking at the trail ahead I realized I have to do 20s for the next week due to the spacing of a town I want to hit and a National Park I have to hike through in a single day. Oh well, it should work out. I’m on track to finish about when I expected, so it should be fine.
There was a good sunset, and the full moon rose opposite the sun at nearly the same instant. The moon was casting shadows and I didn’t need much light. Hopefully it isn’t too bright for sleep.
