We start the morning slowly and then drive to Walker Pass Campground to wait for our hiker family. Trailer Park and Hillbilly are already there, the latter letting us know this is his first trail magic in 650 miles. Sometimes this is a timing issue or being in the right place when a trail angel is around. We load him up with Gatorade and sit under the shade that Trailer Park has created with his ground cloth.

Umi recognizes the car from up the hill and hustles down the trail, excited for fruit punch. He tries to deny a ride into Town but Hillbilly is ready to hike and Trailer Park says he could use more food, so he’ll go with us. Umi has such a contagious enthusiasm and I’m glad to cross paths with him again. We drop him off at the grocery store in Ridgecrest to figure out his night and after Trailer Park buys a chicken we return to the camp to wait for Rachel.

We see her, watch her throw down her poles to sign the hiker log because she’s a lefty and the book is at the wrong angle, and then she sees us. She knows she has survived another portion of the desert and is grateful for the small feast to celebrate. We pack back into the car and return to town for dinner at Bangkok House where we try jalapeño wantons before Rachel goes to her room to stomp her clothes clean.