Tuesday, 11/28

I little side note. I changed a couple of things before I left in the schooner. I got a 120AH AGM battery. Part of the schooner’s failing is not enough battery to go a couple of days without moving. I writing this Wednesday morning and I have been sitting since Monday about noon. Still at 12.45V, that’s good! I think I could push it a couple more days. Yes! I also bought a articulating mount for my table. This is the cat’s meow!! The table swivels every which way and out of the way when needed. Yes! I also have a leak on my toilet supply line. I can work around it but I need a crimp tool to fix. Headed to John the Plumber in Lake Havasu City to see if two old retired plumbers can fix it.

Okay, Tuesday up early. I made a list of all the rules I broke yesterday and today I’m going to do better. Backpack with emergency stuff, check. Plenty of water, too much in fact. Check. Hand gun, check. Stay on trail….. well mostly. Leave note, yes Allie. I also don’t pay my site fees when doing these hikes till I come back. Listen, if you pay your fees, no one bothers you. If you don’t pay your fees by 2:00 or so, the ranger is checking the reason why.

Out of the schooner by 7:20am. It’s about 3/4 miles from camp to trailhead and another 4.3 or so to the oasis. Up and down, over ridges, down ridge splines, following different washes. Not a soul. A couple of miles in, my phone wakes up. I carry my phone because sometimes this happens. I sent a selfie and continued on. I walk about 2 miles per hour on these trails. Plus safety meeting and general green chair sitting. I get to the oasis about 10:00. It is quite steep to get to the bottom but it is still the trail, so over the edge I go.

I have a safety meeting at the oasis and by 11:00 I’m ready to head back. See a lot more people on the way back. This was a long hike. My hips hurt. Walking in the sandy washes is hard work and you learn what the firm sand looks like in a hurry. Get to trail head and have about 3/4 mile to go. Take a safety/ water break and trudge home. Long day, swell hike but I’m tired. No way am I driving to Indio for prescriptions today. Take a nap, eat dinner read a little of Cormac McCarthy’s book 3 of the border trilogy. Good night!

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