As usual up last and feeling very stressed. I packed up quickly to escape the insects and set off.

The day only got better from then on – I got signal! So lots of time speaking to Fleur and receiving Stormy pictures

The weather didn’t get as hot as yesterday and often there was a good breeze to keep things cool. I decided on a reasonably light day and selected Cleghorn Picnic Area on Silverwood Lake as a decent stop, about 14 miles.

For most of the day the terrain was similar, skirting contours with little water available.

However just a few miles short of my destination I was greeted with this:

It was a bit of a paradise. Moreover, just as I was thinking of filtering some warm water I’d collected earlier, a pickup pulled over on the small section of dirt road I was on and gave me an ice cold litre bottle! Random trail magic and much appreciated.

At the picnic area there were four others to start with and we soon grew to about 17 – I had met roughly half. Soon talk moved to pizza and it transpired that a local town delivered here! Pizza for dinner, and leftovers for tomorrow.

We have benches, water and a toilet block. Utter decadence.

Plan to make it to Cajon Pass tomorrow and assess there. May make it to Wrightwood on Sunday night, or failing that Monday.

Now an amusing foot picture – small foot is ‘Sparkles’ and the large a 6’7″ Viking