Day 45: Resources
Word of the day: resources. Walking today felt eternal: almost forty kilometers, at least twenty-five of which were mind-numbingly boring along the Los Angeles Aqueduct. This stretch of the trail is notorious for these kilometers under the scorching sun, without a wisp of shade or water for several miles. Hikers tend to walk this section at night, but Fabio and I preferred to start early rather than disrupt our sleeping routine. In the end, apart from the boredom of a monotonous route – and the discomfort of a couple of blisters that reappear after a few hours of walking – it wasn't that terrible. It was certainly challenging, but I can say I was well-prepared for it, at least mentally. Tomorrow’s plan is to reach the first intersection with a road by early afternoon and thus be in town by evening.
In today’s boredom, it was inevitable not to think about how much of a vast resource the Mojave Desert is: water, sun, and wind, to name the most important. Namely: energy (even if water is needed for other purposes). As a physicist, it’s inevitable not to reflect on the omnipresence of the concept of energy. We don’t have a precise definition of it, but we know many ways to calculate it, and it’s evidently an essential asset for any society. Lastly, there’s the energy in the form of food that I carry on my back every day, a load that is more or less heavy (often too much!). I wrote a post about why it would be more accurate to talk about “useful energy,” a fascinating and somewhat complicated topic.
I could have listened to a lot of stuff, but I limited myself to two things: yesterday’s episode of “Morning” and an audio message from Andrea and Cristina. It was a ten-minute audio, and it kept me company for a while, so thanks to both of you! 🙏 Among many things, Andrea reminded me that you can’t chase after someone who doesn’t want to be found (or can’t be). Don't think that no response means I’m doing something wrong; it’s the other person who doesn’t want to communicate. It’s often hard to accept, and it’s sad to step back from a relationship, but we can’t devote excessive time to someone who doesn’t want it – and their reasons could be many and diverse.
