The sunset from my "bedroom" for the night.
My camp set up for the evening of stealth camping. This was my trial run with my bivy sack. It worked out much better in the morning when I worked out some of the nuances in the daylight. I'm excited with the bivy sack simply because it's so much lighter than a tent.
May 15,Thursday-This is a water source?
Another large fire area was the experience for the afternoon/evening hike. My goal was to get out of the burned area and then camp. I hiked until dark and gave in, camping in the ashes. In the morning I hiked only about 1/2 mile until I hit the green and what would have been a beautiful camp site.
May 16, Friday, Half Day
I started hiking a little before 5:00 a.m. It is so nice to hike in the dark and watch the sunrise. Wind turbines still abound. I had no idea there were so many wind turbines! 
This stretch isn't as stark as I was led to believe. Sagebrush, pinyon pine, and oaks make for a pleasant contrast from the desert floor below. The climb to get up to this nicer vegetation, however, was not always "pleasant."
A little more elevation gain led to some beautiful plated bark ponderosa pine which made me feel anxious to get into the heart of the Sierras. According to experts the Sierras start north of Tehachapi Pass. According to most thru hikers the Sierras don't start until Kennedy Meadows, another hundred miles north. The lack of water in this area, and all the way to Kennedy Meadows, makes this hot/dry area seem like desert, even if the vegetation doesn't.
I was doing my best "relaxed" pose at the 600 mile mark on the trail. This pose should not be attempted with a full pack. My effort at getting up after this shot was apparently comical. Picture a turtle laying on his shell. I think the cameraman is still chuckling.
I hiked until noon and waited a short bit for BSCM to pick me up. For the third day in a row I avoided hiking through the heat of the day.
I am constantly amazed at the diversity of people I meet on the trail. One with a PHD from MIT, a high school dropout, a physical therapist, a recovering heroin addict, a carpenter from Montana, an electrician from Clear Lake, a retired school administrator from Atlanta, one with warrants out for him, a retired military officer, a successful architect with a large firm, folks from right here, and folks from Europe and Asia who struggle with our language, to name a few. The hiking community is an eclectic bunch! On the trail folks get along. Fellow hikers help their hiker trash kin. Everyone gets dirty (except Wardrobe, how she stays so clean on the trail is beyond logic!). All have set lofty goals, and fellow hiker trash is positive in encouragement. Nobody is lazy. There is no class system on the trail, everyone is "hiker trash." There are always conversation starters: feet, food, water, weather. In this particular part of the trail water comes first!
Meeting so many new and varied folks in such a unique way helps make the hike even more enjoyable. I happen to meet quite a few new folks as they pass me. I'm not the fastest hiker on the trail. The trail name, Tortuga, Spanish for turtle, is appropriate.
I'm now south of Onyx, at mile 602. BSCM picked me up and I will zero Saturday to volunteer at the tenth anniversary celebration for The Painted Turtle.
