Miles: 11.3

Ascent/Descent: 1582/1104 ft

Start Time: 10:35

End Time: 16:30

Temperature: 20 (68)

Woke up at gaslamp hostel at 4:30 but dozed till 5:40. Packed up slowly, filled 3 litres of water and grabbed some breakfast from the shop on the way to the tram stop. Got a tram at 7:18 out to the transit centre in el cajon, called mum and arrived about 8:10. Met a Dutch guy called Robert waiting for the bus who was also doing the hike and shortly after two Americans, Andrew (28) and Christina (22) joined us. The bus driver was super friendly and wouldn't let me pay for the bus and insisted i got on for free as a welcome to the country. we got dropped off in campo shortly after 10.i grabbed some gas from the store and then we got a ride from our first trail Angel Steve down to the start point. he was a local that came to town each day to get his post and times it with when the bus arrived incase there are hikers on it and runs them down if they are, also very friendly but made some suss comments about the wall.

We showed our permits to the ranger and got checked in and then took the obligatory photos at the monument. We started to hike as a group of 4 at 10:35 - we were off! it was sunny and i felt excited and in good spirits after feeling a bit sad yesterday. We took a lunch break around mile 6.5 by a stream. The was soo much water and little streams about, i really didn't need to start with 3 litres. the abundance of water ment the desert was green and lush with plants, grass and blossom. No snakes yet as it's been too cold for them but saw lot s of little newts and butterflies. It started to feel pretty hot and it was only around 20°C, it's only going to get hotter here!

we chatted as we went getting to know about Andrew's previous hikes like the John Muir trail, Christina's work as a tattoo artist and about all Roberts crazy ultra marathons including the one here is planning to do in Sacramento at the end of the month!

we called it a day at mile 11.3 and found a spot for 3 tents a little away from the over crowded spot from farout (only 3 as Robert decided he could carry on for a few more miles, he took a break with us and we then said our goodbyes). We cooked dinner together and then got an early night, crawling into our tents at 7:45ish