Day 39: The Mojave Desert and Hikertown

Featured photo:  as seen near Hikertown.

 

Start 508.14 Horse Camp
End 524.4 Aqua-side camp
Got up, took my time breaking camp and eating, Ivana said she slept well so maybe my help with her tent had an impact.
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9 miles descending in to the Mojave and Hikertown. I was really underwhelmed by the place. Picture an old western movie set… And then modernize and miniaturize it… The place was a dump. They had a van they let hikers borrow to go to the convenience store and I took to calling it the suicide van… Because to get the door to shut you literally have to tie it closed with some string.
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I finally met Caitlin Strickland, and as promised six months ago I bought her a meal. A cheeseburger from above mentioned c store and peace tea. She has been hiking 5-10 miles more than I do a day and she was at the end of her miles for the day.
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I couldn’t wait for it to cool off, and once six o’clock hit I was out of there like a shot. I finally got to walk on the aqueduct, got one or two of the cliche shots, and put about seven miles between myself and Hikertown. Pitched my tent in too hard earth in another windstorm and pretty much only got two hours sleep.

Hikertown…

When Facebook friends become real friends!  Caitlin Strickland

Suicide van…  Sliding door held shut with string. 

Some people send loved ones body parts…

Aqueduct

Joshua trees

Campsite from hell (next to buried aqueduct)

Sunrise