A good idea at the time.

Some things seem a really good idea at the time. Like renting a good movie whilst nursing a bottle of Rioja. Or spending some time pottering about in the garden. Walking 56 miles in 2 days a few miles from the Mojave Desert and Death Valley, however, is a bloody stupid idea.

I didn't really have much choice. I was convinced England played Algeria on Saturday in the World Cup and had calculated on 3 x 18 miles days to get to a motel or bar and watch the game. I realised a couple of days ago that it was actually Friday, not Saturday.

I stumbled down to Bird Spring Pass where my map advised there was a water cache. Sure enough, some kind soul had left around 50 containers of water, plenty to refill the several thirsty hikers on this section.

Elk was squeezed under a bush trying to stay in the only minuscule portion of shade available. He was slurping a cheese and broccoli soup which looked like something I don't care to mention. Elk is thirty, his face is framed by a dark beard, as most of the guys have on the trail. He is tanned dark, although most of this is probably dirt from the trail and has upper legs that make mine look like a couple of pencils. An interesting guy to chat to, he is very knowledgeable on a lot of subjects. He also has some pretty wacky, alternative views and angles.

"Did I tell you about my Sierra fantasy"? He asked whilst stuffing tobacco into his pipe.

"No", I replied. "But carry on".

"I'm on the trail and I come across a bear fishing at a pristine mountain stream", he muses, trying to decide whether to leave the pipe in his mouth while he talks or remove it. "It has caught a golden trout about the size of my forearm".

"I'm all ears", I say, looking expectantly at him.

"Now, what I will do in this fantasy is to scare the bear with only my anger", he roars with laughter at the thought. "Then, I will steal the trout. I will take a quart size ziplock bag half filled with lemon juice and section the fish so it fit's inside the bag. I will hike with it for about 15 minutes then take a rest and build a fire. I will sprinkle it with salt and pepper and eat my bounty. Finally I will  let out a huge roar of triumph. There, the fantasy ends".

"Do you hike with your shrink, or does he come out and see you on the trail?" I joke.

We climbed up the 2000' to Skinners Peak, my arms caked in a mixture of sweat, sunblock and dust which grated against my forehead as I wiped it across. Cresting the saddle at the summit we looked northwards and for the first time glimpsed the snow covered Sierra mountain range in the distance, the peaks still covered in snow.

 Hitching a ride to the Ridgecrest

The 750 or so miles that make up the longest section of desert walking are nearly over. It is a beautiful section but we are tired of it. The heat, dust and lack of water has taken it's toll on all of us and we are relishing going up to an altitude averaging 10,000 feet and climbing to a high of just over 13,000. It is cooler up there with  hopefully more shade, crystal clear streams and mountain lakes offer abundant opportunities to kill a thirst with pristine, chilled water.

The desert is nearly over.

(Many thanks to Richard and Nora Nuckless in Ridgecrest who work at the local Tourist Information. When I explained to them that it was nigh on impossible to find a computer with Internet access in town, Richard promptly drove me to his house and let me use his. Thanks to both of you).