This morning was the first time I hit snooze on my alarm, and I did it twice. My 5 AM planned wake up turned into 5:20 AM.

My first goal was to make it to Burro Creek Campground to get water and to use a toilet. It was a close one… the last mile to the bathroom was my fastest one of the trip. It was that or do an emergency squat on the side of the road. 

Randi, the campground host, was very helpful. She let me charge my phone in her RV, and after I apologized for my hiker stench, pointed me to the nearest swimming hole. 

I left the campground shortly after 11 to make the ~1,000 foot climb up a wash and over a small stretch of tall hills (or mini mountains, whatever you prefer). The cacti are starting to bloom, so it was fun to see pops of red, yellow, and pink across the brown landscape. 

Burro Creek is aptly named due to the population of burros (think: wild donkey) living in the vicinity. I saw about 6 of them, which led my Dad to say that I “saw some ass today”. 

I arrived at my next “water” source, the Big Sandy River, only to discover it is really just a big river of sand. I resorted yet again to asking a nearby rancher for water and left with 7 liters since my next source is about 35 miles away (hopefully there is water in the Bill Williams River). I did pass a property that was excited for spring.

As I positioned myself to lay on my sleeping pad, my hand was stabbed my a thorn sticking through the bottom of the tent... just where my sleeping pad was about to go. 

Crisis averted, I systematically patted the rest of the area and luckily didn’t get stabbed again. No free acupuncture tonight. Let’s hope that was the only thorn. 

Miles: 29.6