Patches, a new friend Dan (by chance a fellow 1980 Humboldt State grad) and I discussing what re-route to take around the closed portion of the trail near Idyllwild coming up in the next hundred miles or so. My wife,Theresa, met us at this point where the trail meets the road with hot chocolate and coffee...she was very popular
Once upon a time I was skeptical about the beauty of the desert. It is beautiful. The long views toward Salten Sea, and toward the San Bernardino Mountains are awe inspiring, as is the flowering vegetation. It is also amazingly cold! Even during the day it didn't warm up much. 13 mile day today, at the 61 mile mark on the trail. 
