Slept fitfully and thought I was awake more than I was asleep. Night seemed to pass pretty quickly though so maybe not. Have breakfast & break camp.

06:20 - South Bass tralhead

On the trail. Easy going, John having a little trouble keeping up.

07:35 - Royal Arch Trail junction

Reach Royal Arch Trail junction and take a short, 10-minute rest break. Wait for John to catch up with us.

08:35 - Royal Arch Trail, below Chemehuevi Point

Stop for 20-minute rest. Hike along the Esplanade is beautiful. Nice cool morning, lots of flowers in bloom, clouds breaking up and drifting away. Beautiful view of Toltec Point in the distance. The next rest stop? Mike says we are making good time. I wonder if maybe we will get to Royal Arch today?

09:45 - Royal Arch Trail, below Toltec Point

Stop just other side of Toltec for another 10-minute rest. Trail still pretty easy to follow. Mike says it will get rougher beyond Toltec Point. Lots of flowers along the trail. Large number of cliffrose in bloom just elow Toltec Point and they smell wonderful. Lots of butterflies as well, they look like small Monarchs.

10:00 - Royal Arch Trail, just west of Toltec Point

Trail getting rougher. John having more problems keeping up - asking us to wait for him a couple of times. He had hip surgery done some years back and the hip is giving him problems when climbing over the many boulders we are starting to encounter along the route. Mike tells him that this is the easy part and it is going to get a lot rougher. John doesnt think he can go on if it is going to be like this - or worse. Mike tries to figure out what to do. Suggests that John head back to trailhead and stop for water at seep spring and potholes we passed along the way. John doesnt know if he can make it alone. Chuck agrees to go with him. Mike and I will continue on. Mike gives Chuck keys to truck and asks that they just be back for us on Friday.

10:25 - Royal Arch Trail, just west of Toltec Point

Head our separate ways.

11:15 - Royal Arch Trail, below Montezuma Point

Stop for rest. Mike is worried: "What if they leave and cant find their way back to the trailhead on Friday?" Asks if I would mind if we abort. "Of course not". We start back and hope to catch them before they get too far.

12:25 - Royal Arch Trail, seep spring between Toltec and Chemehuevi

We spot them on other side of first seep spring drainage. Tell them to wait for us at South Bass trail junction. Mike and I stop for lunch at spring. Find a good pool to replenish water supply. Hit the trail again at 1320.

15:00 - South Bass Trail junction

Chuck and John already have camp setup. Mike and I pick spots to camp. Go to overlook of Bass Canyon with Mike and Chuck and then come back and finish setting up camp. Have dinner, take some photos, watch stars come out. See nice passing of space station. A very pleasant evening. We plan to hike back out to the rim tomorrow. Not sure how I will sleep so I take a sleeping pill to be sure to get a good rest. Listen to some music and fall asleep. Wake up later on and shut off Jornada. Go back to sleep.