A long climb

Small camp site after 4th gate
4/1/18
Miles – 23.98 (94.41)
Total miles – 52.77
Leaving camp it is a very easy walk to Scissors Crossing. We traversed along the mountainside and then had a long straight section across the desert floor. Before we started this trip we had stashed 4 gallons of water at the far side of the crossing. When we got to the 1st road there was a water stash, some basic supplies, and, since it is Easter, someone had put 4 pies from Julian. We each had a slice. We filled up on water then walked on to the bridge. Under it was a very large water stash and someone was cooking breakfast for the hikers. Two water stashes and we still have not gotten to ours. We decided to not touch ours and, once we had finished the hike, we would drive back and move it under the bridge.
We stared up San Felipe Ridge. This is a very long exposed climb with no natural water. Although, about 12 miles up the ridge is a water cache. The weather was perfect to hike this desert trail, cloudy, cool, and not too windy. It is not unheard of having temperatures in the triple digits. We moved along well, but the hiking is very boring.  You spend a lot of time waking in and out of gullies and small valleys. We did come across a rattlesnake. Bling was passing it when they both saw each other and jumped back. He waited for us to catch up and we all passed it. It was big and brown. In the later afternoon we got to the 3ed gate, the water cache. There were hundreds of gallons of water stacked in boxes. After filling our water bottles we decided to hike a few more miles to 4th gate and stop for the night. When we arrived at the 4th gate there was no place to camp, so we pushed on to the next flat area.  This was a somewhat exposed shoulder.  Right now it is very windy up here and we have only a little protection.  I hope the wind lets up so we can sleep.