5th July

After the excellent party the day before, we shelter indoors with windows and doors closed and shades down to keep heat out; fans circulate the air inside. I catch up with news from the UK about the general election.

Stepping outside to feed the chickens or get a cold one from the cooler is like entering an oven. The sun is so strong. The heat dome over western USA is bringing extraordinary temperatures to over 120 million people. The advice is stay indoors.

The chickens do their bit by staying undercover today.

My watch and phone keep pinging me warning messages.

The party was under a huge oak tree. Misters hanging from the branches brought the temperature down enough it was comfortable in the shade.

Joe and Sai do not use air conditioning. Many folks do, which puts strain on power resources and distribution networks.

I have a chance to reflect on the Sierra river crossings. When the JMT and PCT share a path there are more bridges over creeks and rivers. Maybe the JMT brings in more revenue to the Parks Service to enable this? Fording water is part of the PCT experience, so while the bridges offered respite from wet feet it did feel like cheating a little.

Before the JMT you were lucky to get a boulder and log to keep your feet dry.