Day 19Lake Hughes, California

I leave from Agua Dulce around 06:30 under a perfectly blue sky. The choice of day is not comfortable: stop after 20 miles, which seems short, or aim at the next camp at about 36 miles with a lot of elevation. My legs are still tired and I hope to find an intermediate location not indicated.

The day finally becomes the longest since departure, around 37 miles. I’m talking to a Frenchman on the way. The last few miles are difficult and my heels become my main source of pain. I camp in altitude, where the first mosquitoes also appear.

During the walk, I finish the winter of Ken Follett’s world. The third volume waits, but I also enjoy spending some hours without anything in the ears.