Day 5 - Paradise trail campsite to Julian

The trail down towards Scissors Crossing.

Last nice we just met a nice Canadian hiker named Micah, who came in just as we were finished eating and getting ready to crash for the day. We talked about splitting a room in Julian the following day.
We also met a couple of hikers named Purple and Carnivore, and only now I figured out that Roni, a friend of mine and Mega-Hiker (I just write that to do see he reacts to it) knows them as well. So next time I see them I will tell them we have a mutual acquaintance.
In the morning we saw no sign of Micah, so we just packed up and started our hike.
The day was another hot-yet-easy downhill, only this time the views were not as nice as yesterday. After the first 9 miles we reached this water tank where we filled up some extra water, and from there it was just cruising all along the crest down towards the valley, in scorching heat and no shady spots.

Chilling in the shade.

The last few miles were just walking in a straight line on the valley's floor. I just tried to speed through it until I reached Scissors Crossing, which is an intersection of two highways where a trail angel maintains a water cache.
It was a relieve to arrive at the cache, mostly because it's under the highway and it's in complete shade. The fact that there was a cooler with beers also helped.
We've met the hiker who walked all night. And also some others who were pushing on further, and Burning Daylight who is planning to spend the night there.
We went up to the highway to catch a ride, and the second pickup driving by picked us up. We rode at the back the whole way to town, and got to the Julian Lodge.
At first, we got ourselves a double bed room, but as we were getting into the room we bumped into Micah, who said he got a room he planned to split with us, so we cancelled our room, and moved in with him.
After a shower and some laundry, we went over to The Smokehouse, where I got a pizza for dinner, and now I am full and clean, and ready for my beauty sleep.

And a pizza for dinner