After a filling breakfast at the Best Western, Tracy and I sat at the table and began to plan for the next section. Tracy checks for the latest updates on the water report and I write notes at the appropriate mile markers on the paper map. Things like "good flow", "dry", "iffy", "organic matter", "uranium", "get update" and so on. We also use the elevation graphs and write down the number of miles between each reliable water source. This helps us plan our day and in figuring out how much water to carry.
We had just finished writing "24 miles, 18 miles, 20 miles etc" between water sources and groaning at the continuing dull topographic features that lay ahead when Ruby called. She is nearby and joins us at the motel.
She says she would be happy to take us to Albertsons to resupply any food we needed and to the start of the trail. She also said that she was headed up to Walker Pass today and we were welcome to come, but that she had plans do a little tasting at the Kern River Brewery.
The view from the front seat of Ruby's car was thrilling. The change in terrain so fast; dusty back roads, little towns with a handful of trailers and one general store, big sandy hills with bright, fertile valleys of green and billboards advertising fresh fruit. One fruit farm sign proclaimed "We're 1/2 nuts!". Then we saw a sign for date shakes at the California Fruit and Nut Company. We had to have these.
Not only did we try Mejhool date shakes for the first time, but we were able to sample literally dozens of dates, nuts, oranges, pickles, olives, candies, veggie chips and all of the above covered in chocolate.
Next stop was a picnic along the Kern river to line our stomachs before hitting the brewery. The brewery was fun, we got samplers and the bar guy treated us to several other seasonal samplers including a class 10 stout.
We camped and had dinner together at walker pass. Fun day.
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