8:00 a.m. and 3 miles down!

Had a call from Brad slightly before 8:00 and the group was on the march.

After hiking alone for a few days, Brad is once again hooked up with "the group", or at least part of it -- Hannah, Charlie, Mark -- and they're moving out!  Their destination is Kennedy Meadows in 10 days, or 25 miles per day.  The trail distance is 247.9, so they can slack slightly one day.  Once they reach Kennedy Meadows they will have hiked a total of 704 miles, and reached the entry to the High Sierras.

Brad's new look -- two new shirts, shorts and glasses

Yesterday was a zero hike day, but an important day of new purchases at REI.  The Hiker Heaven (***** hostel) provides rides, bikes, shelter, and almost anything else a hiker needs.  Yesterday there were about 20 hikers staying there.  Brad headed off to REI to replace his stove pan, which they didn't have, so he'll limp along with the broken pan for a while yet.  He also replaced clothing items which after the Te Araroa in New Zealand  five month tramp, and now another month on the Southern Section of the  Pacific Crest Trail, were disintegrating.