I’m not really excited to be back. It’s nice to see people and hang out, but I’m really focused on getting back out to the Sierra.

The next days are going to be what I’m calling hikertrash speed dating, trying to find a group I like, with aligned desires for the mountains, and preparing for the trip.

I got really excited this morning, though, when I saw a Finnish couple I’ve hung out with changing their stoves out. They were moving from canister stoves, which use cans of isobutane gas, to white gas stoves, which use liquid camp fuel. I asked to get some of the copious amount of fuel they had. We put it in a discarded aluminum can that I cut the top third off of and inverted, so it could be tucked away relatively safely.

Then I raided the hiker box, where people put things they don’t need or want, in various stages of repair, for others to pick through. I found what I needed to make some impromptu fire eating torches. Then I started spreading the word there’d be a brief show, weather permitting, that night at the campfire.

I met one person I really liked, Jess. She invited me to go with her group and they liked me. The problem is they were leaving the following day and my body was too tired from my 30 miler the day before. I needed a day more of recovery before heading out. With that level of fatigue, it’s hard to resupply and rest at the same time at a place like Kennedy Meadows. You have to catch a shuttle to get down to the resupply shop, and it’s just a lot overall.

Sheriff was still at the general store, as was Dario. Both with their injuries trying to figure out what to do. It’s good to catch up with them.

Today was a lot of beer, a lot of talking with people, and a lot of trying to figure out what I can do. So many people are gobsmacked at how I lost my group, which really encourages me. People really want to move as a unit in the snow, so my experience should be unique.

Eventually the sun went down, the campfire came up, and we gathered around to talk. It’s a beautiful thing to see people come together and bond. Lots of hikers are meeting new people, and so many are running into other hikers they haven’t seen in a while. We’re all out here with a shared experience and so many details that run both parallel and intersect that we can just jump in and bond. It reminds me of being a minority or having any niche hobby. People can see a lot from the outside, but experiencing it firsthand gives you an instant camaraderie that is all but impossible to find elsewhere.

Finally, the wind that comes with sunset died down and the air calmed down. I was able to put my torches to the test.

And it was time for bed. There’s much to do tomorrow, and it’ll take a lot of patience and thought.