Day 74 7/28 19mi.

Chatterbox and I got a ride back to the trail from the trail angels early, along with the two other hikers that were there. The two of us decided to go get breakfast at a little restaurant that is right on the trail.

Before leaving their house I got a new pair of shoes out of the hiker box. At most trail angel's homes and businesses that hikers frequent there are hiker boxes which is just a box you can put gear or food in that you don't need anymore, or take gear or food out of if it's something you could use. So the shoes I got were already used, but they were my size and had significantly more cushioning than the pair I was wearing, so I snagged them amd put my old shoes in the hiker box.

It was an excellent breakfast and we didn't end up leaving until about 10. We had a climb uphill for the next 14 miles with 4500 feet of elevation gain and some of it was through a recently burned area which meant no shade. That long climb took most of the day but we eventually made it.

Chatterbox saw a rattle snake on the way up, we haven't seen a rattle snake in quite awhile.

On the way back down the other side just before it was to dark to walk without a headlamp on I spotted a coyote standing completely still and staring at me, in a meadow. As soon as he realized I'd seen him he took off running as did another coyote farther back in the meadow I hadn't see originally.

We made a fire and camped alongside an excellent spring for the night.