Daddie Gizmo:
Early start in prep for the Sierras soon to come today. We were packed up and out just before 6. 5:57 to be exact. Still not early enough but pretty early for these 2 sleepy heads.  It had purpose for the hike today too as we had big elevation to climb, descend and climb again. The climb took us from 8200 up to 10,500 back to 8600 and up to our camp spot at 9800. We hit patches of snow at the top and I hit the ground once hard enough to knock the wind out of me. Funny thing though, I looked up at the view from our side of the mountain over the valley and into the big snow covered mountains we will be in just a few days from now and forgot all about the fact that I was sitting sideways on a slick block of ice.  Throughout the day we could hear fighter jets from the nearby bases out in the desert buzzing around in the valleys between the mountains. Several came actually quite close to us. Then one came suddenly and directly overhead, maybe just a few hundred feet. You could see every detail as if you were standing next to it on the ground.  Several more flew even closer and faster as we stood on the peak of the last ridge we would climb for the day.  A few more decided to perform sharp banks, turns and rolls right overhead as we cheered and waived at the pilots.  It was an amazing private air show for us and the other hikers out on the peaks today.  Just like the huge windmills in the desert, the juxtaposition of man’s most sopphisticated machinery and Mother Nature were great compliments to each other today.

Figure 8:

Today marks 3 months anniversary since we left Dallas to start this adventure and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it than climbing a mountain and being able to see these spectacular vistas of snowy mountains, creeks, rivers and pine trees.

Fields of manzanitas and pine trees

Cow creek

We came out on some spectacular views that reminded us why we had the crazy idea to climb 733 miles! We took advantage of a great spot and is where we are camped right now – on the edge of a mountain in the high desert with a 180 degree panorama of the snow peaked mountains.

The view from our campsite and tent

Taking in the view from campsite

  We are positioned perfectly to enjoy the sunset as we lay in our sleeping bags and eat Oreos this evening. It would be complete perfection if it wasn’t for the SWARM of mosquitos around our tent. We already lost the battle with them earlier today and have welts and bites all over so as long as they hungrily stay on the other side of our mosquito netted tent all is good.😊