Hello Everyone,

Well, here I am again laying in my tent sending you all an update on my trek today, Friday, April 18, day 8.

It was another long day and luckily I found a very nice place to camp for the night. I set up camp about 4:30 and had a chance to actually sit and enjoy the scenery and weather. The wind completely stopped after I set up and as soon as I started writing this, it picked up again. Because I am behind the trees the winds sounds even louder as it blows over their tops. The camp spot I found looks like an old ranch because there is a old foundation and numerous trees. It’s actually really nice, but wouldn’t live here. I am like the hunchback when he shakes his head and yells, “the bells”, but with me it’s, “the winds”.

I have learned to place the lower back end of the tent into the wind so it is more aerodynamic and deflects the wind. Even that seems a guessing game because I watched the wind turbines today and they seemed to rotate in different directions all day long.

The camp spot I had to moved to across the street last night actually turned out to be a better location than the first. I probably would have been disturbed by workers in the morning anyway. I thought about how the security guards spoke to me and I pat myself on my back for being so outwardly calm. There were three young guys and all very polite. There average age was 22, one maybe 21, 22, and 23. I am guessing? The first young guy was very polite and actually timidly explained to me that he was told to have me move. He was told it was dangerous to be so close to the transmission lines. I wanted to tell him that I lived next to ones twice as big in Redondo Beach for almost nine years and I am fine. Actually, I do have weird experiences with electronic devices my kids tell me. Interesting. Anyway, I have no problem with what they were telling me, it’s their job.

Well, the second young guy was apologetic too but how he talked kind of got to me. Every other word was dude! I am sorry dude. If it was up to me, I’d let you stay dude. I like your rig dude. Where are you going dude?  How long you going dude? Dude, dude, dude. But the one that got me was when he said, “I admire what you are doing dude, and when I get to be as old as you dude, I hope i can still get around and do things like you too dude”. Picture me hurriedly, and I mean hurriedly, trying to pack everything up and my mind going a hundred miles an hour thinking of where to go, when I am being duded to death. What happened to sir or mister? I guess I am showing my age dude. Sorry about that but I was part of my trek experience.

So, my day started out well, like most have, but there is always a but. My friend Dave came to my rescue with Crazy Glue and I managed to fix them in the morning. Off I went, like I do every morning with my usual enthusiasm, until I hit a hill or lose sand, and there start the buts. And most of the time, it’s within five minutes, but this time it was great. I was on 170 Street, which was a wide asphalt road with no traffic, and was heading north to find the General Petroleum Road and the Aqueduct Road. Google notes that 170 continues on until it crosses the street that will take me to Petroleum Road. I was moving along so well, and happily waved to the UPS and FedEx drivers, that I was thinking I might make Mojave today at this speed. Then it started uphill, still fairly happy, but straining a bit since it was hot (already 80). Then after two miles I realized this was a road to nowhere, it came to a dead end. What! Google shows it going through! Well, after four miles of backtracking, I was almost back at my starting point. Four miles isn’t that much in a car, maybe a few minutes, but pulling a Wheelie it’s almost one and a half hour. That was my first but.

So, now I am looking at my iPad in the glaring sun trying to figure out which way to go, and if there really is such a way? My battery was not fully charged because the cloud cover in the afternoon yesterday, so I was sparingly using the iPad for directions. Of course I had to turn it on low brightness to save the battery or I’d be totally lost. Here I am glaring at a screen I can barely see, and Google directs me up 130 Street, exactly where I had stopped to take a break. Wow, 130 was a really wide asphalt road, and I saw two DWP trucks turn onto it, so it must be a good road. Wrong again! My second but. Asphalt for 100 yards and then a wide hard gravel road. After about a mile, it turned into a narrow soft sand road for the next two to or so miles. Yesterday’sGaskill Road was a cakewalk compared to this. The Wheelie sunk 2-3″ into the sand and I was literally pulling it like a sled. I thought of turning back, but another backtrack! Google shows Petroleum Road is there, but I could not tell how far, or if it was really there. Ok, I have to admit, my enthusiasm, was gone. I just pushed on, or should say pulled on, and came to what Google showed as Petroleum Road. By then I had finished two 34 oz bottles of water, a 12 oz bottle, and had opened one of the gallon bottles.

General Petroleum Road was narrow, but looked well maintained, and had hard packed sand. No, this is to good to be true. Is this going to be my third but! No, it actually was a very nice road, with no house, or cars, and mostly hard packed dirt. And I found this very nice spot to camp at tonight.

As you can see, I didn’t make it the 22 miles to Mojave. Google tells me Mojave is only 12 miles away, but I am not going to assume I will make it in one day. We will see how it is tomorrow and hopefully I will sent you my update. My plan was to get a motel and run the hot water out when I shower. Mindee was going to meet me and resupply me too, but , we will seetomorrow.

I trekked 13.72 miles today in 7 hours and one minute, but four of those miles are backward miles. The times I usually note include breaks, etc., and stopping to pound my head against something hard, since there are no trees to speak of out here.

Best to all, and keep good thoughts, prayers, and blessings, going my way,
Ted

Next Post: Day 9