The desert is difficult

 this cabin at the Blue Jay Lodge  cost $99 for the night. I would have paid $100 for the use of the shower

hiker friendly town

I slept at Fred Canyon Sunday night mile 32 . I left Fred at 5 a.m. climbing 2000 feet of elevation gain over a 10-mile stretch arrived at Mount Laguna, mile 42 before 9AM just as the pine house Diner opened. In that small dining room there were hikers from all over the world and they shared their stories of muscle pain, chafing and blisters .our bodies are adjusting to the environment and the rigors of Trail life.
 

Next Stop Shakedown!
A Shakedown is when you critically examine every item that you carry with the intention of reducing pack weight. I chose to consult the experts at Laguna Mountain sports outfitters .Richard ( hot legs)  was my primary specialist. He encouraged me to let go of Hardware that was holding me back. He shared techniques for using my remaining gear more effectively. it's easy to become attached to even the smallest bit of your kit. Richard was very helpful . several professionals conferred  to make my pack more comfortable. Some of my gear was donated to charity, some went to fellow hikers.The gear that I couldn't part with went to the post office.
The post office clerk was equally helpful getting me the best postal rate for sending my gear up north where I will need it in colder weather. Shakedown is emotionally draining. I rented a cabin at the Blue Jay Lodge with some help from the clerk at the General Store. Every person I met in that town helped to make my stay enjoyable. The cabin rate was $99. I would have paid 100 just for the use of the shower

Dangerously hot climate

 The desert is beautiful, but so dry.
I was dropped off at the Mexican border in Campo California Saturday April 22nd at 6 a.m. it was also the hottest day of the year for  this area I walked 15 miles to Hauser Creek before noon. I left the border with 4 full liters of water . I'm glad the creek had water because the next known water source after Houser Creek was in Lake Morena County Park which was a 5-mile push-up a 1200 foot elevation gain on a south facing Rocky slope. I stayed the night at Hauser Creek. At 3 a.m. I harvested 2 liters of water from the creek and Hike the five miles. It was a cold hike with no sun Just Like Home in Syracuse. I loved it. I could do this all day, except in the desert I could do this all night

Morgan Hill 12 mile Loop. Perfect day for hiking. Finished hiking just past noon

Yellow spotted salamander migration

Every year after the snow melts, my friends and I meet like-minded people in the labrador unique area. We help protect the migration of the yellow spotted newt. With flashlights We walk miles of roadway around the labrador pond and help the newts cross the road. This migration only happens in very wet weather, pouring rain. and only after the mountains have thawed enough that the newts can wriggle out of there icy hibernation the rain was relentless this is cold wet work very uncomfortable

Groundhog's night

Hemlock Trail had four to six inches of fresh powder covering Icy patches on steep slopes.  snow shoes were a good idea. As always we leave the lights off unless we need them

Monday Night hike Green Lakes

From the parking area on route 290. We gain 200 feet of elevation within the first mile.

Then down to Round Lake. Mark leads in Silence both of us with lights off . He knows the topography and takes us from lowest to highest elevation multiple times to gain as much elevation as we can during our eight mile hike. From the southern end of Round Lake looking North in the night sky I saw vertical streaks of light. My first thought was Northern Lights. Mark said it may be ground Source light reflecting ice crystals in the atmosphere. There was continual vertical streaks coming and going without pattern. It was only in the northern sky and they were bright enough to be reflected in the Round Lake