XC and I were on the trail at 6. Enough light to see rattlesnakes but we saw none. As we walked upstream the cliffs slowly diminished and the canyon became more open. We forded the river less often. About 10:40, I crossed the dam for Snow Lake and a short time later took a break at a Forest Service outhouse. Happily, a FS crew turned on the water. I ate lunch, got water, and tested the outhouse. The afternoon consisted of mostly road walking with some trail walking. Four miles after lunch, I got more water at Gail Tank, a 2-acre reservoir in the midst of an expanse of grassland (see photo). As I walked along a few-track road and later a County Road, the wind howled. Happily, it was a tail wind. My feet barked constantly. I applied more tape to reduce friction without much success. Being in water over the past few days did not agree with them. At 5 pm, I called it a day to give my feet a break. 21.7 miles today.
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