While resting and observing Sunday in HikerTown I met a hiker almost as old as myself and we decided to start out on the desert together. His name was Rocko because he likes to take pictures of rocks. Geology interests him. We decide to leave about 4:30. It was hot but we figured it would cool off soon enough. As we are walking he tells me he likes to go slow because he has a bad ankle. Great I say, I love slow. As you know I can only keep up with people that are injured. Not that I take joy in their injuries you understand but at least I can keep up with them. So we start out and we are going at a pace of 3 miles per hour. I worry and ask him if he is sure this pace is OK. He says it was. After about 5 miles he needs a rest which we do and he indicates that his ankle is hurting. He takes a couple pain pills and we continue on. After about 8 miles he has to stop again and indicates he can not continue. That he is going to spend the night there and hope is ankle gets better. I feel bad about leaving him, but not bad enough not to leave him. He indicates it is ok. I have not seen him or heard of him since. I wonder if he had to quit. It does not take much to force you off the trail. Just hit a rock the wrong way and twist your ankle and your PCT adventure could be over for the year. I keep looking at registers to see his name but have not noticed it. Could be he is just behind me. Here are some pictures I took during the daylight.

As the night falls it cools off and it is really easy walking. Flat and with a full moon it is easy to see where you are going without a headlamp. Just keep walking. I was a little worried about the water cache and exactly where it was and feared I would pass it by in the dark. The owner of Hikertown told me that the PCTA was not very happy about the water caches and was discouraging them because the hikers came to depend on them. I can understand that BUT frankly when you are routing us through a desert and without the water cache there would not be water for 34 miles, I think a water cache is appropriate and frankly should be sponsored by the PCTA and not discouraged. But what do I know. The cache was in the middle of a Wind Turbine farm and the sight of wind turbines would be normal for the next 5 days of the PCT. I did notice the water cache. I did stop at it for water and decided to camp there for the night about midnight. Another beautiful night of cowboy camping under the stars and the sound of wind turbines.