PCT, Day 31

I wake up early. My sleeping pad is still losing air; there must be a puncture. It only occurs to me now that there's a pool on the premises where I could have submerged my pad to find the puncture. I attempt it this morning, but it's challenging to get the pad underwater, almost impossible. I can't detect the puncture; maybe it needs to get worse first.

I start walking at 6:45, surrounded by clouds for 2 hours. As usual, the landscape looks different every day. Soon, I reach Vasquez Rocks, where many movies were filmed within the rocks, as I'm told.

I hike only 18 km without a break and reach Aqua Dulce by midday. I stay at "Serenity Oasis," a place Farmer John allows hikers to stay for $30. I get a spot for my tent, a hot shower, do my laundry, and relax. My freeze-dried food for the next 7-8 days was sent here. There are small basins and liners as well as Epsom salt for a foot bath, which I enjoy while my laundry is in the machine. Later, I relax in the shade and chat with a guy called Uber Dad, who's been supporting his two sons and a girlfriend on the trail since April 8; he lives in Chicago.

In the late afternoon, Double Dinner and Navigator arrive. They set up their tents, shower, and do laundry. Later in the evening, we walk to the Mexican restaurant for food.
In the hiker box, I find some pink nail polish, and I convince them to have their left pinky finger polished. It's late when we return, around 9 pm, and everyone quickly disappears into their tents.