Day 2 - Melting

Day 2 – 4/15
Miles: 17.6
Lake Morena to Long Canyon Creek

A full moon and many dogs celebrating it in the distance cause me to wake often. I’m fully awake now, and I look at my watch to find out that it’s only 6. I eat granola and a snickers in bed and head out around 7.

The morning is cool and the trail winds it way through a flat meadow. My shoulders are quite sore after hauling all that water yesterday, but I feel good overall. Walking in the morning sun puts a smile on my face.

Near noon, I’m back to climbing big hills and it’s starting to get hot, really hot. I decide to pull off the trail and find some shade. However, there is no shade here. After half an hour, I give up and wiggle my way under some tall bushes. Not long after, another hiker joins me and also complains about the lack of shade. The heat is mind numbing, so I try to take a nap and listen to the bees overhead hum and let the flys try to clean my feet.

Around 3:30 it’s a bit cooler, but there is also a nice breeze. I venture out from the bushes and start hiking again. With the cooling temperatures, all feels right in the world, and the next six miles to camp fly by.