Day 69; this morning was amazing. Slept in until 7 AM and didn’t even leave until 9 AM. It was so nice to just sit and have a breakfast this is probably the first time on the trail that I’ve done this just sit and enjoy my food and conversation before heading off. Usually every day is just a rush I need to get out as fast as I can but not today. Wet, but not a lot of snow which made me happy. Stop for a swim with Scotty Thomas crocs in Santee. Sunday is so adorable with his go pro running and jumping with it. He kept taking time to record videos of him jumping into the water. It was freezing cold but it was awesome. The walk to Tuolomne Meadows has been one of my favorites yet. We have been hiking next to a beautiful creek almost the whole time. And honestly it’s been nice to actually walk again! I’m like finally I can walk fast, I’m always last in the snow so it feels so good to just be able to move and go again. Yesterday, I forgot to mention Scotty found some tools….one being a very heavy and large axe that he decided to take and carry with him. He is insane….hahaha. So when we got to T. Meadows he decided to ditch it near the trash cans by where the rangers stay. This spot is so weird. People can’t legit live here? Everything is super beat up and old. Some don’t have roofs or anything. This probably sounds weird coming from me since I’ve been living out of a tent. But for people to come stay here for seasons? It doesn’t make sense. Then we get to the road, and in this moment I legit thought my life was over. I was walking with Scotty when a man from the woods came walking towards us. Hood up and in all black. This road is closed so nobody is getting going to be in here hiking. I legit thought, and so did Scotty, it was a crazy man out to kill backpackers. Then we hear a….a howl??? Oh shit, it’s Stats. Omg we were cracking up. I was so terrified for a second. Stats has been here hours waiting. He thought we were ahead and was pissed at us for not waiting for him at the road. But no we were behind. So we sat and ate while telling him the story. We ran into some rangers and yep road is still closed. And no idea when it’s opening. That means we have a 22 mile hike into the Valley. An extra 44 miles total. In snow…..this is when I started contemplating really going into the valley. We walk down the road to the post office and store….which literally don’t exist. A lot of Tuolumne was destroyed by the heavy snow fall. Roofs caved in and what not. So we just sat. No trying to get a hitch. It’s only rangers and they won’t help us….but wait. It’s some bike riders…so Scotty jokingly gets some wild flowers and gets down on one knee as they pass to ask for a ride. Hours later more of the group arrives, then more, until we are all there. In what will become the last time we’re all together, and unfortunately the last time I will ever see some of these people. In an immediate and quick decision some of us chose to walk 7 miles to a junction where we can from there hitch to Lee Vining, nothing special here except it’s not a 22 mile walk. And for me I was just in Yosemite before the trail and it’s so close to me I didn’t feel the need to make this big effort to go. So I decided to go to Lee Vining, along with Scotty, Stats, Freckles, and Tim. I think at this point Tim had little choice. We needed to get him to a doctor ASAP and there won’t be one in the valley. So that’s it. We say our quick goodbyes and the rest head to the JMT to go into the valley. We don’t make it far down the road before we have to stop and stealth camp. Tim is just so fatigued and drained he can’t go anymore. I feel so sad for him. What’s going on? Maybe Giardia? Well overall, it’s been a beautiful day and the campsite is just as beautiful. Within the trees, feeling distant from the world even though the road is right there. The bears here are tricky so tonight I don’t sleep with my bear canister. I put it a little away. Apparently there’s a female bear in Yosemite who has learned to open them. Eeeek. So tonight we sleep, and tomorrow just a few more miles to town.