May 22
558-566
For 6 straight days we have hiked at least 20 miles every day. 155 miles in 6 days- averaging 26 miles per day. Our sleepless, windy, night threw off our rhythm, and we are paying for it. We are eager for a motel room and some rest. Luckily, we are only 8 miles outside of the closest towns. At this point of the trail, hikers choose between Tehachapi- a cute, but expensive, mountain town with a ton of restaurants, and Mojave- a windswept truck stop hell hole with cheap motels. We choose the hell hole. It feels more appropriate.
The 8 miles takes us through yet another wind farm. The size of some of the windmills is incredible.
We walk by a shrub I had to sleep in back in 2013 during a bout of oppressive wind, and we are reminded that a hike like this is an exercise in type 2 fun- something that is not always so fun to live through, but very satisfying to look back on.
The trail crests a final hill before town and we get a great view of the size and scope of this wind farm.
There is also a helpful infographic to explain why this area is so windy. Cool. Get me out of here.
Finally we reach the town of Mojave, California. There is a 36 dollar a night motel in this town, but we “splurge” on the second most expensive motel in town- a 50 dollar a night motel 6. There is a Thai Restaurant, supermarket, taco shop, and breakfast diner all within a block of the motel. Hiker heaven.
We eat, sleep, and wash 155 miles of grime from our rapidly thinning bodies.
Homestead Hikers 
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