May 9th 2022, 3:05 am

Yesterday I bought new shoes per some Trail Angels recommendations. I agreed that my shoes were too tight, causing blisters. However after a few miles today in these spanking new Altra Lone Peak 6's my right foot began to hurt badly. A few more miles in and I'm limping wishing it were only blisters. I think the switch to zero drop shoes triggered some previous injuries. It definitely had me bummed for a minute when considering what it would mean if this didn't heal quickly. But im hopeful that tomorrow will show improvement and reaching mile 100 will be as celelebratory as expected.

I listened to my first on trail audiobook, Longitude by Dava Sobel. Its about the history of the scientific quest to accurately determine longitude. Its a creatively written book with lots of interesting facts about a topic I know so little. Now I've got some new random knowledge about the history of clocks and navigation.

At camp I offered for others to join me in some yoga and meditation, which nearly everyone did. The post hike physical and mental stretch was certainly welcome.

While getting water earlier in the day (at a pallets of water bottles delivered to these remote parts by another trail angel) I overheard someone say how rare it is for a tramily of 11 to stick together. Well tomorrow Dunkirk, Stripes, Fabian, Rachel, Sunshine, Jerome, Neinke, Psycho, David, Mike, and myself will have made it 100 miles in 7 days, together. Pretty neat.

Tonight is another night of cowboy camping under the stars, surrounded by cacti, overlooking a wide mountain valley. Surreal beauty is everywhere in these parts.