The views into Anza-Borrega State Park were spectacular, but the lack of water in this stretch was obvious.

Sometimes the views show how far down and up you have in front of you.

Marcia is loading up on water from a water cache. The caches are left by PCTA, Sierra Club, BLM, and individuals. 

Because of the large number of hikers just ahead of us, some of the caches were dry. We learned early not to rely on them. When we found water we were truly thankful for the trail angels who left it.

Ken realized just how much he missed ice in this stretch. All our water was warm. It seemed to settle in our stomachs and left us feeling bloated.

The desert was full of blooms. Cactus was everywhere, but many small flowers also were in bloom.
.