I woke up to the sound of those same non-thruhikers talking that I fell asleep to last night. So irritating.. but I did sleep great so I can’t complain, really. I gathered up my dirty clothes and my electronics and headed down to the lodge.
I set my stuff down with Heidi and went inside to order breakfast. Stuff was charging, my burrito came out quick, life was great. Margo came over and the three of us talked a bit. Sometime after 10, Margo and I went to do laundry and shower. We shared a load of laundry and used the detergent pods someone left behind-because the store only sells the bag of like 20 instead of individually like any business that caters more to hikers. I don’t think they like us much.
I showered first and it was a quick quarter operated one.. much nicer than Fish Lake in my opinion. Someone had left their mini shampoo and conditioner bottles and I was THRILLED about that. I had to awkwardly air dry again.. least favorite part, but man feeling clean felt great! While Margo showered, I painted my nails and laid on a picnic table.
Waiting on our laundry, A-Train and Drake showed up! The day in the snow they decided to set up camp where Wolf, Pica, and FoodTruck camped the night before-the rainy but snow free campsite. They just didn’t want to risk climbing back up that elevation into more snow, especially when all of their layers were wet. Smart choice.
They started doing their laundry and shower chores, Margo and I decided to walk to the bakery, and Maddie joined us. We walked and talked and got a lift half way. I ate another pesto mushroom croissant (Margo says that’s not a croissant lol) and some pizza slices. Not too bad! But definitely better yesterday right off the bus and first access to non trail food.
Marquis and the couple Margo had been hiking with before catching up with me (Annie and Riley) got off the bus while we were there! I was so happy to see more people we knew 🙂 They had to hop back on the bus though to get to town and set up camp, we knew we’d see them again soon.
We strolled on our way back, talking, laughing, stopping by everything we passed.. including a garden that sells local honey harvested from the bees they keep, goat milk cheeses and all kinds of other things. Beautiful set up, and refreshing to see. It makes me want to have a green thumb and grow my own veggies-but let’s be real, I’m ever home long enough.. and Aunt Kathy is the one with the green thumb.
We made it back to town and when we saw Annie and Riley, Annie had a snow basket for a trekking pole she found on trail that she was going to put in the hiker box.. IT WAS MINE!! I had lost it day before yesterday and spent 20-30 minutes backtracking looking for it! How perfect!
More hikers started to show up, Wolf & Pica, FoodTruck, Marquis, several we didn’t know. There’s an area under the deck to the lodge that we all hung out at for hours talking. Margo and I ended up getting some dinner to go and eating down there, too. Everyone laughing, cutting up, getting serious talking about the snow coming up and their plans.
Maddie made the big decision to get off trail. The bouncing around, changing plans, pushing miles in scary situations just wasn’t the headspace they wanted to be in or their idea of spending their time wisely, simply because these stresses aren’t a good time and aren’t fun-I totally get it. Another hiker, Peaches, decided the same thing today, too. It makes me so sad, the challenges we’ve been thrown have been tough, and it makes me wonder how far away I am from one more sketchy area or flip decision causing me to change my mind, too.
Eventually we made our way back up this hill from hell to our campsites. It’s actually warm tonight, which is quite the happy change.. and, because I’m surrounded by actual PCT hikers, it’s almost completely silent at 9:40pm, with over 10 tents set up. Hiker midnight is legit. Goodnight, y’all.