First stretch down

We woke up to another frosty tent. Even in the aired desert, there seems to be moisture in the air. A night full of exhaling moisture in cold temperatures equals a frosty interior. Mountaineering tents which typically have a specialized ventilation for these issues, are quite heavy... so we will manage -- even if we wake up a little damp.

The day was smooth filled with rolling hills. We were able to kick out a decent amount of miles (finally) to make it to Patagonia, the first trail town of the AZT. The trail actually runs through main street.

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It was a crystal clear day, which is beautiful, but also offers no protection from the unrelenting sun. And it hit us hard.

Very quickly the back of my calves were a special kind of pink. This shade was only broken by the lines and dots of red from rogue thorns and brambles that would attack our legs as they passed by.

As we sought shelter from a 5x6 piece of shade given off by a surprisingly new white pickup truck on a random forest road, the owner rolled up.

His team were part of the Arizona Conservation Corp dedicated to Coronado National Forest, and the team we have to thank for keeping the AZT in that section functioning for us hikers. He gave us a brief history of the corp and his story before scurrying off into the desert to rehydrate his team with water from a van in the back of the truck.

Shortly after, we then ran into his whole team, and thanked them for their work, and continued on.

As we approached Patagonia, we ran into a local on a day hike who most graciously offered his floor and sofa to us. Cooked us a meal, and even sang us a song while playing his guitar. A great way to end a hot, sunny day, as well as the first stretch of the Arizona Trail.