Our thumbs went up. The first car out, a Chrysler 200, picked us up. Roz and Nicole, both Chinese (?) were on their 1.5 hr commute to San Diego. Roz, driving, turned her head away from the road to look at me when I said I was retired.
Walk thru Julian, to Grannies for breakfast. Mmmmmm. Devices charged, on into town to buy groceries, seeing Carl again.
To the Catholic Church, where Father Cecilio didn't let us use the hose to clean up--he brought us in to use the shower and washed our dirty clothes.
To Mom's where we sat catching up a blog (Anthony) and I looked up zpack's site to replace my quilt with a down quilt weighing 18 oz.
I got the grocer to put out a hiker box, where I left the remainder of the SPF50 I bought.
At 3 p.m., return to the east side of town to hitch a ride back to the trail. Some short trip cars passed, one driver asked but was also a short tripper. Then Patrick, in dreadlocks, swung his car around after passing us and shouted "Fucking hippies!"
I asked, "does that mean you wanna give us a ride?"
"Yeah, that's why I'm talkin' shit"
The town and environs have dried severely. Past wildfires include one caused by a lost hunter starting a signal fire that spread to the coast. Another began after a DEA chopper struck a power line. Apple orchards, which have burnished the town's reputation have declined. The changing climate had rendered oak trees susceptible to pests. Patrick, whose work in tree cutting has been steady.
Back at the PCT, a cache of twenty gallons sat under the bridge. The easy graded hike up took us past barrel cacti, more giant asparagus, ocotillo for the first time, beaver tail, fan cacti, yucca & agave of several species and nearly all were in bloom.
Cowbow camped in a dry wash, heavy winds thru the night blew over us, but without taking any of our gear.
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