Wanderers on Lockhart Basin

Annabelle, Steve, and Aaron depart for Needles after a two day rest stop. Cloud cover consumes the day and gives them a good chance to make it the 50 plus miles of desert. They each carry substantial water and those nasty two words, water drop, never came up.

The Island, Again

Tom much enjoys kayaking around the island. It's quiet except for the occasional blue heron who will complain when he comes by. Today Tom is joined in the first kayak by Shane, a wanderere on the Hayduke and in the second kayak by Steve, Aaron, and Annabelle (dog), also wanderers on the Hayduke.

Kobae at the Beach

Kobae takes his nightly bath. In the distance Steve and Aaron two wanderers on the Hayduke trail have shown up, on bicycles, one with a trailer carrying his dog, Annabelle. Before the evening is over, Shane, a third wanderer appears. Little crowded on the porches tonight.

Hole

You Were There Dude

Water Drop Morning

California fires smoke has reached the canyon lands. Morning sunrise greets the day with an orange haze. Tom didn't sleep well, knowing Lockhart was waiting.

Jerrol has an hour head start. Tom is carrying liters of water in a backpack for drops 20 miles or so down Lockhart. The first trials bike rear tire goes flat. Tom returns for a second bike. The overflow hose breaks and shoots the topped off gas tank into Tom's face. Tom returns for the third. Jerrol now has a two hour head start. Early into Lockhart, a bolt is sheared from the rear sprocket and chewed up. Tom loses rear brake, a necessity on Lockhart. There is no more time and there are no more bikes.

Tom passes Jerrol and fights through Lockhart to the drop off point. On the return stops to say goodbye to a brief friendship and a grateful Jerrol. They are few, with huge hearts, tons of courage, always moving, the wandering souls of the Hayduke.

It's All Perfect (Briefly)

Tom has Let's Play work wrapped up and time to sit on the front porch and read a book. Tom has not had to do a single hospital run and only one trip for water drops down the dreaded Lockhart Basin. A very, very quiet year, so far and a very, very perfect day as evening comes.

As Tom opens his book, he hears footsteps coming up the drive but can't yet see anybody. There are two possibilities. Somebody is broken down. Please let that be it. If they don't have a large backpack, they are broke down. If they do, they are wanderers on the Hayduke or Discovery Trails and they will ask Tom to do water drops, on Lockhart Basin. Lockhart doesn't like Tom. Tom doesn't like Lockhart. Tom has left parts of two ATV's and one trials bike on that trail

He has a large back pack, his name is Jerrol, he's from Germany, hiking the Hayduke, and he needs help. He can't hike 50 plus miles without water. He wants to know if Tom will do water drops for him?