We are clean, well-rested and frantic. I was going to catch up on the journal and neither of us had the PocketMail.

At breakfast we called Circle K without any luck. On our way out of town we stopped at the Mexican Restaurant where we had dinner and retrieved it. Whew!

Throughout all of this Sharon was such good support. Breakfast was delicious, we picked up batteries and water at the second Circle K and Sharon got us to the trailhead before 9am.

We are hiking in the Sonoran Desert. Our hiking is dramatically different than yesterday's coming down from the Sky Island. Both are beautiful but the desert is easier hiking. Again, an enjoyable contrast.

Again, we are fortunate that the day is cloudy and windy. The temperature feels like the mid 70's. We left town with more than three gallons of water to get us to a cache (first water!) 36.5 miles from town. Add in our resupply food and the total is heavy packs.

A yellow jacket stung Ken's hand while we were hiking and I didn't think to bring Sting-Eaze this hike. If the flora doesn't stick you, the fauna does.

I think we got some good sunset photos, one of the reasons we

Innumerable ridges and uncountable washes was our lot today. The more we drank, the lighter our packs became. The cooling breezes and shading clouds didn't arrive until late afternoon so we did drink lots.

We reached the water cache at Freeman Road just in time for afternoon tea of Gatorade and Payday candy bars. We topped off or filled every bottle courtesy of ATZA. Many thanks!

We haven't seen anyone since we left Oracle.

Several days ago, when we met Sirena on the trail, she commented that AZ is not as flat as is commonly believed. Right! Another difference is that the Sonoran Desert is more vegetated than the Mojave, Red Desert or the Great Basin. Bits of cactus hear us coming, get poised and hop onto our shoes, socks or skin. Tomorrow I am going to carry spoons on the outside of my pack to scoop these vicious attackers off.

Our Sandy Wash Camp was no different than all the others. It was a cool, smooth spot so we slept like rocks.

Today started much like yesterday with lizards but no humans for company. Cows don't count.

We had been making jokes about the Tortilla Mtns. We paid for those jokes this hot afternoon (over 105). We climbed forever out of Ripsey Wash and then tried to peak bag every peak in sight. The heat and the climbing really sapped our strength.

I am amazed that desert plants are still blooming and that I have found several birds' egg shells.

My spoons worked on the cactus bits but there also seem to be fewer of them caught in the trail to snag us.

Our slow afternoon of hiking got us to the Gila River after dark. We found a flat spot above the road and bridge sheltered by hill and bushes, hopefully out of sight. We didn't cook but just ate bars and crawled, exhausted, into bed.

Two cars driving up and stopping below our tent woke us at 1:30am. Ken looked out the window and saw that both were police cars. We heard one officer yell, "Hello." They climbed up to our tent and asked if we were living there or hiking the AZT! One had worked on the trail. I am amazed that everybody seems to know the trail.

Ken told the two that we were short of water so they climbed down the hill and each carried a half gallon of water up to us. This was much better than muddy Gila River water that we planned on filtering in the morning.

It was already hot by the time we packed up this morning. We opted for plan "B" which was to go around the difficult bushwhack. Then we decided to take an earlier route into Superior. Good decision because the temp is going to be 110* again. We heard that temps will be 30* lower Thursday. Now we need to figure out a hiking schedule vs the temperature.

When we arrived at the motel the owner saw us coming and opened the door. Cold water was next on the agenda. Two bottles later I started to feel like myself.

The motel is under new ownership and is now called the Copper Mountain Motel. after the mine above town. This motel has the winning combination of friendly service, internet, laundry and, best of all, clean comfortable refurbished rooms.

Town chores include ordering new convertible pants to replace Ken's threadbare pants, more socks, a new water filter (our Katadyn Hiker now has a cracked seam in the casing), another groundcloth, and a pair of new shoes for Ken.

So my summation of the AZT so far is that it probably exceeds the elevation changes of the Appalachian Trail and is as rocky as the Pacific Crest Trail but much steeper. It ranks right at the top in natural beauty and a wilderness experience.

Now I need to see and photograph a Gila Monster and javelina.