Miles: 596.5 to 616.2
Trail Miles: 19.7
Miles Walked: 21
Cloudy, misty this morning.
Passed the 600 mile markers (all 3)
Painter saw a Bear! 
Met Cover Girl and Three Frogs. They’d heard from their buddy who was already at Mile 800 in the Sierras. His advice: Don’t listen to fear mongering in Kennedy Meadows. Resupply and get out of there. On Forrester Pass (13,900 ft) he’d used his ice axe but not micro spikes. — it was good to get a current PIREP vice the hiker rumor mill.
Beautiful hike today through a forest untouched by forest fire. Live Oaks and Pines. Really wish I’d explored this area when I’d lived out here.
After lunch I hiked out with Painter, but I wasn’t paying attention and missed the turn off for water. Painter had enough to continue but I didn’t so I turned around. It was only a half mile back. This happened about the time the dark cloud above us cracked with thunder. I remarked how my rain coat was buried in my pack. — I should have heeded the warning. Twenty minutes later it started hailing and raining. I ran into Cherry Bomb, Scooch and Fireball as they were leaving the water source. I told them I’d catch up eventually.
The skies unleashed even more about 5 min. I dug my rain jacket out but everything was getting wet. Fortunately my sleeping bag and clothes were in waterproof stuff sacks.
It continued to hail, small pieces, but it came down heavily. 
I eventually made it back on trail and tried to catch up. It was 6 more miles to where we’d planned to camp but the weather and extra mileage due to the missed water turn dampened my mood. I had just crossed a dirt road when the Forestry service trucks came by. They’d been grading the dirt road near the water source. I’d stopped and talked to one of them before I got water. — The same man stopped his truck as they were leaving and asked if I wanted some Tri Tip beef. This trek has taught me to never to turn down food. I hiked down the hill to the road and accepted the zip lic bag with 4 slices of beef. They were still warm. He said he was just going to throw them away when he got home. I’m so glad he thought to stop. I got back on trail and immediately devoured 2 slices. When I ran into No Man 30 min later I gave the rest to him.
Beef Tri Tip!
Once the trail dropped below 6000 ft it was like someone flipped a switch and boom we were back in the desert.
Anyways the skies cleared up and I caught up to Smokebeard at the Mile 615 water cache. The others had just left. Everyone was tired and ready to camp. They went another 1/2 mile and we camped on a dirt road. Fortunately this road is not traveled.
Smokebeard and I set up our tents as a precaution. While we were still technically in the desert, today’s weather was a taste of what can happen in the Sierra, less than 100 miles ahead.
My rain jacket and pants will be within easy reach from now on.