May 18th 2022, 6:29 am

The long hot hike down continues. Until finally level ground is reached, met with fresh water and another case of trail magic. This time a cooler with the most beautiful can of ice cold coke I've ever held.

A quick but challenging walk through the windy sands, and a hitch from Jerry, a generous ex convict turned trail angel, got us to the celebrated shopping center. 4 hours, some rest, and many calories later we head back to trail fully charged and resupplied. Getting there isn't as easy as anticipated so we end up paying an off duty Uber driver to give us a ride, except he failed to return for everyone leaving a few stranded to wait over an hour for an actual Uber. Those of us who did make it back to trail huddle under the bridge to repack our freshly acquired supplies. Suddenly from the darkness a bright light blinds our workstations followed by the oncoming roaring of an engine, as an off-road machine barrels toward us along the underbridge center way. My heart just barely returned to its intended place when Jerry yells out for me to hop in for a ride in his fresh out of the shop Polaris Razer, which he so proudly exhibited to me during our ride some hours earlier. Politely I steer the conversation elsewhere deciding doing sumbersaults in the dark at 90 mph aside a 12 lane highway in Cabazone California, is not my preferred way to end this journey.

Back to our business those of us present put our feet back on trail for a 3 mile trek to the Mesa Wind Farm outpost for the night. Exhausted yet hungry I devour half of the 2 pound burrito I hauled from town. Some minutes later I find myself comfortably warm in my sleeping bag and tent seemingly coordinated out of reflex. Another long but rewarding day.