Most hikers decided to stay put in Mount Laguna to avoid the coming storm. We had a late start after waiting for the General Store to open.

It was Lily’s 26th birthday, but sadly her knee was having problems and she left the trail to heal. We were sad to lose our Hobbit

We foolhardy Europeans kept going, beautiful scenery but the wind was building as the day went on and the rain arrived about 3pm. The rain was moderate but it was consistent and driven by string winds. Welcome to the desert…

I had a smug moment as I pulled out my goretex rain trousers, no-one else had any. We camped in the most sheltered spot we could find, in the rain, and it was a delicate operation trying to keep what needed to be dry, dry.

I succeeded, sleeping bag and nightclothes dry, but most other stuff a bit damp to wet. The others fared less well, with dry bag failures and tents giving way in the wind overnight. Living in Scotland clearly had benefits!