SNAFU

• May 29: today was an endless search for cellphone coverage. I HAD to find a place where I got some bars so I could get in touch with Adam. For last night, when I was setting up camp, I realized that I had left something very important in the car. While I was organizing my food from the resupply, I moved my hiker-wallet to a pocket on the passenger side door- and left it there! Yes- I had no money, no ID, no credit card. Aw, crap.
• I spent the morning checking the phone and leapfrogging with Mowgli and Cardboard (who I hadn't seen since Wrightwood) Honeystick (who I hadn't seen since Ziggy and the Bear's) and Starfish (who I just met). We also had the unique experience of meeting Preacher, who took long breaks to scream to 10 commandments at the top of his lungs. Or something close to the 10 commandments. He often added his own embellishments.

Right after noon, we reached Jimminy Creek Campground, the next water source. What the guidebooks did not show is that after you walked the .3 miles to the campground, it was then another 1.5 miles to the water faucet! Fortunately for us, Shutterbug's dad, Nomad Max had set up a water cache on the trail, and trail magic at his campsite- the first one inside the campground. So we all took a long break at the campsite (where I ran into Kilty, who I hadn't seen since Lake Isabella).

Shortly, Shutterbug arrived, and then, Max. He refilled the water in the cache (driving to the faucet) and then asked if there was anything anybody needed.

"Ok, this is gonna sound really weird" I said "but what I need is cellphone coverage"

"No problem" he said "we are driving into Ridgecrest this evening. I'll give you a ride."

So I was lucky enough to get to cell coverage! I got in touch with Adam (whose first words were: "I found your little Baggie!") and we agree he'd mail it to Kennedy Meadows. Success!

Then I had burritos with Shutterbug and Max.

The group I had hiked in with spent the night at the campsite and Max slack packed us all to Kennedy Meadows the next day.

Peace, love, and trail magic!