Day 11. Part 2. March 11. From Rincon Creek Mile 126.3 to Grass Shack campground, Mile 35.3

Continued from Day 11, part 1. 

Day 11. Part 2. March 11.  From Rincon Creek Mile 126.3 elev 3090 ft, to Grass Shack campground, Mile 35.3, elevation 5287. Walked 9 miles, 2749 ft up, 546 ft down. 

Hello again. I divide these into parts because the uploading seems to do better if I limit myself to 4 photos per post. 

Photo 5 shows those little wild flowers that I said yesterday deserved their own photo. 

They've been around at least since I left Patagonia when there weren't many other signs of spring. In fact most of them are starting to dry out. 

 

Photo 6 shows the Ocotillo starting to have leaves and preparing to blossom. Yesterday there were no leaves but very early signs of blossoms. The day before no color at all. It feels as if I am walking into spring. Every day a little more color. 

 

Photo 7 shows how dramatically the plants changed as I climbed higher. 

 

I did try to call and change my campsite reservation. As I climbed I had occasional cell service. When I finally reached a person I learned that the  campsites were all reserved. 

The young couple and two fathers were having a lunch break at Grass Shack campground when I arrived. A young man hiking with them had a campsite reserved at Manning (the camp I wanted) and encouraged them to come share his site. I asked if he thought there would be room for me and he said he didn't know. So I stayed behind and actually enjoyed the slow quiet afternoon beside the sound of a creek where I am now camped. 

I do hope tomorrow to be able to do a long enough day that I can meet Steve and Anne the following day by 2pm. But that depends on lots of things over which I have no control. A truth of which the trail seems to enjoy reminding me. 

And of course I like being reminded because, having lost the competition to be the nicest, I am still in the running to be the most humble. 

It is dark. I am about to plug my iPhone into its recharger ( with my new working cord thanks to trail angel Sandy), turn off my headlamp, crawl into my sleeping bag, fall asleep to the sound of this lovely creek and I hope wake up before 5 and start walking by 6. 

Oh - one more thing. During lunch Van Go was talking about blisters and people were talking about socks they might give him. I realized we wore the same size socks and I had just ordered more of the kind that seems to work best for me and was planning to mail the others home. So I offered him a pair and he accepted them. It made me so happy. The trail angels and their generosity always inspire me to want to be able to give and serve others. But Sandy's understanding of service as spiritual practice in giving without attachment to outcome truly inspires me. 

All for now. See you tomorrow.