We started on our hike and it was hot. We were instructed to drink freely from our canteens. We rested frequently and the few cedar trees provided some shade from the blistering down of the sun. We hiked overland for quite some time and then we ate our lunches that we had carried with us. After that it was back to hiking. The next time we rested, I was just about spent. I laid down on some rocks, barely shaded by a scrawny cedar tree. I was breathing hard and I was very thirsty. Earl came to check on me. I exclaimed to him: “I wish I was back in my type class!” How I hated that summer school type class, but at that moment, it sure seemed nice. When Earl left me, I muttered under my breath, “This is a reward?”
We came to call our guide, Salt and Pepper, because he had a day or two of growth on his face. Some whiskers were white, some black, hence, Salt and Pepper. He had a very positive attitude about every aspect of the hike. Each time we stopped to rest he loudly proclaimed, “Yessssireeee! This isssss the life!” He told us how important it was to drink water. He said, “I’ve been hiking over the years and my canteen has run out on me. Once I found a pool of water. The only problem was it had horse manure in it. I drank it anyway. Just gritted my teeth to strain the wigglers out.” As we hiked he would sing at the top of his lungs,
“When you get all hot and dry,
All you want it water,
Cool water!”
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