MP 651 Trail Angel Oakie Girl has set up a tent and is feeding the thru hikers. There are about 8 or 9 here. There is lots of food and beer and talk of the high sierras which are only about 50 to 100 miles off. The consensus is that crampons and ice axe are not necessary this year because of low snow conditions so I am leaving them behind to conserve weight. My current plan is to hike with a group of 3 other hikers from  Kennedy Meadows for the trek through the high sierras. My group will include Black Hawk, a commercial jet pilot; Hee Haw, bluegrass musician from Portland, Maine; and Malpractice, a doctor of internal medicine from Minneapolis. There ought to be a joke in there somewhere with a group like that one would think.
This has been a very relaxing and restful day. Hiked out at 7pm and got in 5 miles before camping on a windy mountain ridge.