July 22

This morning Louis went for the springs one last time for a hot shower and warm water for laundry. My watch battery died in the night so I got up late and hadn't had a chance to read so I stayed behind. There is something therapeutic about a mineral hot springs because we had a 3500 ft., 6 mile climb to get out of the hole we were in and get back to the PCT.

We made it to town by 3:00, bought snacks and re supplied, then headed to the "pancake house" for a burger. There we ran into 3 sobo hikers; Adam "Snow Gypsy", Zach "Warmup Mile" and Nathan that I met on the way to Harts Pass on July 4. Also we met a fourth hiker, Rob or "Reach" that they were hiking with. All 6 of us are camped near a creek in a wide clearing with a blanket of stars... With the sounds of semis going to and fro on I-90, 5 miles to the north.

One more note. My trail name is "Puppeteer". Apparently my cohorts found it amusing when I made shadow puppets from inside my tent using my headlamp.