Day 19. Wednesday, July 8. Mileage: 908 – 922 (14 PCT miles plus 2 miles backtracking)

The trails around Red’s Meadow were confusing and we got on the wrong trail before another hiker told us that we weren’t on the PCT. Walking mistakenly off trail is so frustrating particularly because we had been walking in sand, which is difficult period but is even more so on Danger’s hip.

We took a side trip to see the impressive and bizarre Devil’s Postpile – a national monument. Tourist explosion and couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Once the trail (temporarily) separated from the John Muir Trail and (permanently) left behind the scores of Devil’s Postpile tourists, I felt my dark clouds lift and I walked renewed. Town stops can leave a person feeling a little anxious and off centered after weeks of hiking, feeling adrift in a melding of circumstances as competing priorities and contradictions that maybe don't exist on the trail emerge. A few wrought emails and catching up on weeks of news in one sitting alone can leave me feeling a bit wrecked. I am relieved that I could lay it all down and walk until the dark clouds grew distant.

The end of the day was along a ridge, which I took as a brilliant welcome to the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

Our zucchini and cous cous dinner was yummy, and I feel happy to be sleeping in the tent tonight. It is going to be a cold night, but we walked all the day’s mileage after 1 pm so I am tired enough not to care about the cold.