After leaving the high desert we descended into the parched hills of the Mojave. This was our first day of what seemed to be real desert hiking.
Worry about water was a mild concern for the first 150 miles, but soon went away as more populated areas abutted the trail. However in the area near the Mojave it has come back as our number one concern. The last two springs flowed well even if they were in spots where cow dung was prevalent. The spring we visited today was not spread with cow dung, but it was significantly worse in several ways. First of all there were two separate fenced areas. The first had reeds that were surrounding small ponds of algae covered water. The second had very small seeps hidden in the trees and what seemed to be an excellent source: a cistern about two feet round and four feet deep filled halfway with cool clear water. The only thing was that floating on top of the water were leaves and a dead rat! Rick was a little reluctant to use the water, and more reluctant to tell Deb that's where we got it from. I reminded him that the filters we use take out all harmful organisms so his concern was unfounded. (I hope I'm right about this because I plan on drinking about five liters of Rat Water tomorrow!)
Deb at lunch break.
Descending into a wash that the PCTA says is a shortcut to Willow Springs with a little boulder hopping.
Camp in the cow pie campground next to the spring.
Moon glow behind the Joshua trees.
Sunset.
Hikingsolo
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