Independence day dawned and I rolled up my sleeping bag and dumped it into my basket.  A quick trip to the store for some breakfast and to buy more bread, then I headed up the road in the direction of Mojave, intending to take it easy on my way back home by stopping in Piru to visit my new friends.  I wanted to spend another night under the pepper trees in the park.  In the morning, I intended to head over the mountains and camp a few miles past the edge of the valley, setting me up for a relatively flat ride the rest of the way home.

It was very easy, getting me to Piru before lunch time.  My friends there were delighted to see me again, and we hiked a little way up the canyon towards a lake.  I caught some more lizards and a garter snake for them to play with that afternoon.  After I ate supper, firecrackers were occasionally heard popping around town since it was July 4th.  We all were having a good time but suddenly it was getting dark so they had to go home.  I unrolled my sleeping bag under the same pepper tree as before and was immediately out.  There may have been a local fireworks show, but I doubt it in such a small town.  I was so fast asleep anyhow, I would not have noticed.