Started: Tent Site (230.9)
Ended: Mission Camp (239.9)
Total: 9.0 miles

We woke up at 4 a.m. and concluded that our only real option was to hike to the last good water source at Mission Camp, some nine miles ahead. It is at mile marker 240 and the normal Big Bear exit is mile 266. There is a 25 mile water carry in between. We have two days of food, maybe. I’m completely out of gas. There is no way that I can do a huge push.

We hiked in the dark, trying to follow the trail as best as we can. The Mission Creek area switches between gravel and marsh. As we advanced, I became tangled in some brush. I tripped over a log again. Fishtank was now very concerned about my health. I brushed it off.

After the sun came up we ran into John from Alabama. He is 50 years old and started two weeks before us. He is struggling, badly. I thought we were doing badly hiking nine to twelve miles a day. A good day for him is five. Mentally, he was out of it. His mood improved greatly when we offered to hike with him. He is a very big guy, so Fishtank named him Little John.

This area is a burned out section of the trail. At one time this was a beautiful section with plenty of shade. Now it is a wasteland of dead trees, rocks and charcoal. We stopped at was we thought was the last water hole at 238.7.

The three of us sat down and discussed how we were going to get out of this mess. We didn’t have any phone reception, but Fishtank has a satellite pager. Little John’s pack is overstuffed with food, and that alleviated any immediate food concerns. Fishtank contacted a local trail angel. They recommended that we bail at mile 250 and hitch to Big Bear. With that, we had a plan. Turns out that people running out of food in this section is a very common problem.

We then discussed how to avoid getting into this problem in the future. We need to reformulate our strategy. First, we’re slow in the heat. The thought that I am going to do 16 miles a day is not realistic. We need more food. Second, I need to make sure we eat. When I’m hot, I drink, filling my stomach, so I’m not eating. While I have plenty of fat on me, it takes time and energy to convert it to calories. I’m burning calories faster than fat is converted. It is simple math. I’m not taking in enough calories and burning them to fast. Eventually, I hit the wall. Little John is bigger than me and has the same problem.

The only thing we can do is get to town, zero, do a properly resupply and consider this a learning lesson.

After things cooled off, we advanced to a nice campsite. As we started to set up camp, all these other hikers started coming up, including Candice. Many people we thought were in front of us. Turns out that what we thought was a failure on our part was a common problem even to hikers half our age. We got that going to for us!

It the process of this miserable day, I didn’t take a single picture.

We ate our last meals. Tomorrow we strike out for mile 250 or die trying.