23.7 miles
166.2 AZT mile marker
We had a lot of condensation again last night, and Breaks was slower to get started because of it. She said she would meet me at the first water source and I took off.
The trail was once again pretty flat and easy, and I felt like flying! I tore up the trail and had a lot of energy. I averaged 3.5mph sustained, which is pretty good for me. I got to the first water source, another catchment, in no time.
While I was waiting for Breaks and letting my tent dry in the wind, a couple with 4 horses showed up. They were also on the AZT and doing it with pack animals. I had never actually seen that except in the Grand Canyon. It seems like a lot of extra work to me. We chatted briefly and one of the male horses appeared sexually excited at the sight of water. Shortly after they left, Katherine showed up. She had been just behind us since we left South Rim. We caught up, and she hiked on before Breaks got there.
Breaks said she was dragging and suggested I go on ahead. I decided to do so since I was moving quickly today and energetic and we said goodbye.
I took off down the trail and caught up to Katherine. We had lunch and were headed towards the same next water source.
The trail went through juniper desert for the whole day today. We were slowly working our way towards the San Francisco peaks, still in the distance, but there was a lot of land in between.
Near the end of the day I came up on a clearing operation where hydroaxes were roaming the desert chewing up wayward junipers. I stayed well clear of that violence. The trail turned into dirt road, and the hard-pack gave my feet a pounding.
As I was approaching a T-junction, a pickup truck passed, stopped, and reversed back to the junction. When I got to him, he asked me if I needed anything, but I was all set. It is so great to see the kindness of others which is much more apparent on these trips than in real life. He went well out of his way to see if I needed any help, and I am grateful for people watching out for us like him. He was familiar with the trail and had talked to many hikers before, and asked to take my picture. While walking boring roads, this made me happy.
In one of the open meadows, I saw either a coyote or mountain lion. I’m guessing coyote, but it was alone. It was moving more like a dog, but it was too hard to tell for sure. The next morning I heard a pack of coyotes howling in the distance, so I assume that’s what it was.
I arrived at the night’s water source which was actually a flowing spring, the first of the trip! It’s so nice to have good quality water like this, and it makes you appreciate the conveniences of home more. Katherine arrived to spend the night as well, and I set up in a nice spot under some junipers that had obviously been well used by hikers. The Milky Way has been out in force every night, and I’ve seen shooting stars most nights too.
