And it was. I made it the 26 miles to Mammoth today despite my body being extra fatigued from yesterday's exertion. Yesterday the last few miles where toughest, today each but the last miles were equally tough despite it being a relatively easy grade. At mile 20 for the day I stopped for dinner, the last of my food, and when I began hiking again got a fresh wave of energy that had me practically running the last 6 miles. Lesson being, eat.

I've been hiking and camping solo since Bishop. The days can get a bit more boring but I really enjoy the autonomy. Being solo means better listening and responding to my needs without compromise. Self care. Like it seems to be with everything else, what's good in one regard finds balance in another. In this case full autonomy means frequent solitude. Not inherently bad but at times lonely. When I arrived in Reds Meadows I learned that I had just missed a large group of friends by a matter of hours. Still here are Riddles, Tap Dance, and Pantry. We'll camp together just outside the resort. If I continue at this pace I'll probably catch up with others soon but I won't make a concerted effort. Tomorrow I'll go into Mammoth Lakes to resupply, possibly staying the night to recover.