Day 8: echo lake to Suzie lake

10 miles/ 65 total
I spent the night with two trail angels (Aletha and Pete) in S. Lake Tahoe, and it was fantastic. They couldn't pick me up until 6, so I spent the day getting in some miles, and enjoying the city for one more day.  They fed me wild salmon w fresh asparagus. I should have taken them up on the wine, but felt I better hydrate, instead. We stayed up late talking about politics (they're like minded :) and watching the Giants game.
The post office at Echo Lake is only open from 11am-2pm, so Pete drove me down this morning, after a relaxing breakfast. I resuplied, mailed some gear home, and read a letter (Thanks, Jackie!), and hit the trail around 12:30. Since I had such a late start, I decided to only do about 10 miles. I had met an older woman (Bernadette) at the store, who was even more afraid of any upcoming snow than I am, and has no sort of gps, of which I have relied on a number of times to find the trail in snowy sections. For this very reason, I was doubly glad to give the snow a couple of extra days to melt, while I enjoyed some zero days.
The hike today was mostly over large rocks and granite gravel, as we entered into the foreboding-sounding Desolation Wilderness. It wasn't at all desolate, as I encountered a fair number of day hikers, and no surprise, because the views were great and the lakes lovely. I got to my 10 mi mark around 5pm, and discovered not only Betnadette (who is hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail), but also a PCT hiker I had met in S. Lake named "Beacon". I set up camp w them, grateful to be camping with other hikers and friendly faces. During our respective dinners we decided we would all do the hike tomorrow across Dick's Peak (the highest section of the trail going forward, and the most likely place for more snow). We know there will definitely be snow, but we are all hoping for a minimal amount, and that this will be the last of it.
I've retired to my tent. Tomorrow we leave at 6:30 to try and avoid soft snow and postholes. Adios.