Day 3: Tuesday, May 7

Tenting at a boulder field (55.9), a 13.3 mile day

Woke up to the same shit outside our cabin, wind rain and 100yd visibility fog. Dithered for a few hours, left cabin at 11, moseyed to store, talked to Lenny and Becca who had survived their night out but were very wet and now taking the day off at the Lodge, finally started hiking at 11:45. Bow stayed back to zero with them. Forecast called for a clearer afternoon, which was sort of right. Rain essentially was gone for the rest of the day. Clouds varied in intensity, the wind never went anywhere and only got stronger. Had fashioned a pack cover out of my second trash compactor bag and it made an almighty racket blowing behind me all afternoon. Would guess some 40-50mph gusts at the worst parts, although the trail usually moved to the leeward side of a mountain soon enough. I was only once tempted to de-layer (I was wearing three ... it never got above 50 degrees today) and I was quickly disabused of that notion upon rounding a corner into said wind.

Attempted to visit a Shriner camp after 5ish miles because sources said they were hiker friendly and offered water, which I was wanting. Place was like a zombie trailer park ... Office shut, no water, no people in fezzes, just an icy wind whipping through and one woman in a golf cart staring at me like she'd never seen a hiker before. Very disappointing. Scored a liter from a small cache after 10ish miles, enough to allow me to dry camp here now. Legs were feeling it after yesterday and there's no need for big miles because I'm trying to set up for a one-day, in-and-out visit to town of Julian at mile 77. Camping with Alex, a guy from Iowa that I met on the trail today. Second straight night someone that I have known for only a few hours has asked me if I know any dead baby jokes. They do say thru-hikers bond especially easily. Good times.

Scenery this afternoon was of the jaw-dropping variety. We're now in the Anza-Borrego desert, according to my maps. Can only imagine yesterday might have been this beautiful if we hadn't been in a cloud all day.