Today is looking a little smokier than yesterday, but it’s still not bad. This morning, some hikers coming down from Evolution Valley said it was clear there, and they were right. I got very tired out today. We had meant to maybe hike as far as Evolution Lake, but stopped a few miles short of there, at the mouth of Evolution Valley. Our campsite is beautiful and quiet, though we saw lots of people on the trail. We are hidden behind a large granite outcropping not far from slow-moving Evolution Creek. We see nobody, and they don’t see us. The four men from the ferry kept leap-frogging with us all day. Luckily. They found Margaret’s credit card and return ferry ticket on the trail.

We have scrapped the Goddard Canyon plan for sure. We would need one more day to make it not be too much of a push. I am feeling good, in fact euphoric, being up here in the Sierra, but so very, very tired. Margaret is far more fit (well, I do have 10 years on her), and is making us some broth, which tastes delicious. As does almost all the food we brought. Flavors seem to explode in the mouth up here. Some highlights are my dried Damsun plums, from the backyard tree. They are like natural, organic Sweet Tarts!

We found out today that Richard, one of the four men sharing our route, is our neighbor. He lives perhaps two blocks from Margaret and four blocks from me! It always amazes me how many fellow Berkeleyans I run into up here in the mountains.

We stopped multiple times today for dips in the San Joaquin, and scrambled down to very beautiful Evolution Creek for more negative ions. There isn’t much water, but it is so invigorating and refreshing! The ford at Evolution Creek was only ankle-deep. I didn’t even bother to take my shoes off, but just splashed through. My hiking shoes, which are New Balance Minimus trail runners, dry remarkably quickly.

Well, it happened! I was sitting in my tent writing and sipping broth, and I managed to spill the broth on my clothes and the tent floor. Now I have more chores to do. And I KNEW I was taking a risk, bringing food into the tent. When will I learn to heed my own warnings?

I had to move my tent about six feet over, to a much more level place. What looked perfect when I set up, ended up having a hump in the middle, so that no matter which way I faced, my head was downhill.

It is so quiet and peaceful here. The phone says we covered 8.7 miles and climbed 25 flights of stars. I am amazed at the difference in my conditioning that a year has made. I really am dragging, but thankful that my knee isn’t acting up. Sometimes, I think I can just burst out into song, but when I do, the voice is still not there. I hit walls and just can’t access much of my range. Doctors prescribe rest and patience, both of which are difficult for this patient.

Another early night to bed, after watching the bats feeding above the creek.