Mile 308 to 329

Both my son Daniel and wife Terri mention that perhaps more than a couple of people are reading this blog. First I feel terrible that so many people don’t have cable. Then I feel even worse because I do not include a sports section or a crossword puzzle. I have, however, tried to provide entertaining word searches by randomly inserting spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and grammatical crimes against humanity. I may even preposition the end of a sentence with.

Deep Canyon Mouth

Today I continued my hike out of Deep Creek canyon. The closer I get to the canyon mouth, the closer I get to a hardware store with an amazing sale on spray paint. At least it seems so based on the quantity and quality of LA gangsta graffiti. It is nice to know the inner city folks spend so much time in the wilderness. Past the Mojave spillway, I begin an amazingly beautiful lap around Silverwood Lake. It is windy, cold, and raining off and on, which is frankly preferred to the normal blazing desert sun.

As I walk, I have a vague recollection from my pathetic public education, about a poem that proclaims that so much depends on the red wheelbarrow. My wheelbarrow is green, has a flat tire and two broken handles. I am pretty sure not much is depending on my wheelbarrow. I do, however, like the sentiment but believe it requires a modernizing update. I believe so much more depends on the charged lithium battery. You can use that one if you like, even without proper attribution.

I need charged lithium batteries for my camera, my Ipod Nano, and my smart phone which includes maps, GPS, email, texting, and oh yeah, occasional smart phone phoning. So much depending do I do, that I carry an external lithium battery to recharge my rechargeable lithium batteries.

My Spot beacon, which sends my tracking location to satellites, requires charged non-rechargable lithium batteries. So I have to carry extras. Green lights flashing indicate the device is working, red lights flashing indicate the batteries are failing, and no lights flashing indicate just how much depends on a charged lithium battery. With the Spot hanging on the back of my pack, it is impossible for me to see the lights. It is also annoying, and perhaps frighting, when I approach a hiker to ask “Is my hanging thing flashing?” Today at a rest break I noticed a total lack of flashing. Bummer. That means those of you tracking my location may have been concerned. Perhaps both of you. Rest assured, on this trail it is far more likely to come upon a dead lithium battery than a dead hiker. Probably like twice as likely.

I have determined that the primary reason thru-hiker’s hike is to get to a wall outlet to recharge their lithium batteries. It turns out, so much depends on the wall outlet.

Silverwood Lake