Tuesday, June 16—Day 55

Woke up to rain this morning, but I was warm and dry in my tent. I put off writing until way too late, and now I’m real tired, so this will be short.

Independence is small. We picked up our food box and got a hitch to Lone Pine, which is bigger, to pick up a package Tom had sent there. There is a McDonald’s. I ate five double cheeseburgers and three McCheeses. And a McFlurry.

My beard is a force to be reckoned with.

We’re staying at the Something Villa Whatever Hotel. It’s cheap and the shower is down the hall, so I walked around in a towel. No one could hear anything over the collective sighs of all the ladies that were just swooning all over the place. It’s like, hey, control yourselves, right?

It’s so late at night! I usually go to sleep at, like, nine.

We’ve crossed the highest elevation on the trail, Forrester Pass. There’ll be hard times ahead, but I know we can do this. Just one foot in front of the other. Good night!