Washboarding

The Tehachapi Hills -- hot, sandy, and steep -- are, unfortunately, an apparent dirt biker paradise. Throughout most of the hike north of Antelope Valley, the trail has been wrecked by OHV use. The extreme washboarding you see is ruts of 2-3 feet deep, which transforms your hike from walking to hurdling.

morale low plz send pizza

Dealing with the grueling and precarious washboarded trail didn't help my mood. Neither did dropping my glasses and having to double back for them. It was midday, it was hot, and the trail seemed endless.

Tilting at windmills ... or maybe giants

The Tehachapi Pass area is one of California's biggest wind farms. In many senses of the word. In case you glanced and missed it, look carefully at the bottom center: That tinker toy is a genuine, human-scaled tanker truck.

Wait -- is that the ...?

Yes! Waaaay in the distance! The trip's first view of the Sierra Nevada! A month and a half of desert might actually be starting to pay off!