PCT Day 87

Start: 1361.4

Stop: 1367.3

Today’s miles: 5.9

Total PCT miles: 1218.8

I expected to wake up in a full torrential downpour.. I guess if it rained like that out here there wouldn’t be so many forest fires, huh? It had rained, off and on during the night, but nothing terrible. I and all my stuff was dry inside, my tent only a little wet outside.

We packed and got moving, the rain soaking us after we got out from the cover the trees unknowingly provided us. Then, before I knew it, I was swatting gnats out of my eyes. HOW are you here in the RAIN?! Isn’t that the good part of hiking in the rain?! The BUGS GO AWAY?! Ugh. California.

And, if that wasn’t enough, not 20 minutes into my morning, I came across a rattlesnake.. IN THE FREAKING RAIN?! WHAAAAT?! That’s illegal! I screamed as it flicked its rattle at me, then ever so slowly (as I’m obviously still screaming) slid between some rocks. It moved so slow, I had time to get my camera out and snap a picture. I swear these reptiles and insects have their own laws here in California, and I am NOT A FAN.

I waited for Margot to catch up to me, just in case ol snakey boy decided to pop up at her, but he didn’t. We carried on, in the rain, along the mountainsides and down switchbacks and eventually to the road taking us to Belden. What an odd little “town” if I ever saw one. It really felt more like a single closed property.

We sat on the porch of the general store and waited. When we saw other hikers emerge, they gave us the wifi password and we were able to get in contact with Denise, from yesterday! She came to get us by 11am. She had to drive through the rain into the canyon between Quincy and Belden. It’s 45 minutes on a good day. She got to us surprisingly quick!

Denise drove us back the way she came, giving us all the information about Quincy. Best food, best resupply, laundromat, all the things. We didn’t have a room for tonight, so she was going to try to find us another angel willing to let us crash with them while we ate a late breakfast at Morning Thunder Cafe. As we got close, a motel had a vacancy sign on. We all three assumed it was futile, since I had called that same motel yesterday from a mountain top when I had service and they said they were booked.. but she stopped anyway-just in case they had a cancellation.

Margot walked inside and came out SO HAPPY! That’s exactly what happened! We were able to book the last room available, a king bed, because someone canceled! Heck yes! Quickly we went inside and got all the details worked out, the lady handed us our room keys and we put our packs inside before Denise took us to the restaurant. Now she didn’t have to find us someone to host us! Wahoo!

We got to the restaurant and both of us ordered all of the things. I got my usual favorite: biscuits and gravy over potatoes/hash browns, topped with two fried eggs-over medium, with a side of bacon. YUM. It wasn’t biscuits from home, but they still did the trick. Funny how hiking and eating processed crap all day makes you really appreciate a good cooked meal. Delicious.

We paid our tab, walked to the gas station for drinks, then back to our room for showers. The motel is in a great location. Once we were clean, we laid on the king sized bed, let Denise know we were ready whenever she was to go to the laundromat, and we napped while waiting. It was a glorious hour of nothingness, then back to chores.

She drove us to the other side of town to the laundromat and even gave us detergent, too! My God, I love this woman! She headed off to run her errands while we washed clothes and walked to the grocery store and dollar general next door. We got our resupply and our clothes washed within an hour-it all felt way too fast for me. Then Denise was back picking us up and taking us to our motel.

Margot and I decided we wanted to go see ‘Barbie’ tonight at the town theater. They only show one movie on their one screen, Thursday through Monday-and today being Monday was PERFECT! It was the last time they would be showing it! We asked Denise if she’d want to go with us, and she said she’d let us know closer to time. While we sat in our room, resting and looking stuff up and watching Friends, Denise texted to say she did want to go to the movie, and if we wanted her to take us to the pizza place with the salad bar, she could pick us up at 6 for dinner! Even better!

We had unlimited salad bar and pizza which was both phenomenal. A salad was just what I have been craving, but paying the same price in a restaurant for lettuce as I would a burger or a chicken dish just seems so ridiculous, I can’t do it. I devoured my salad and had pizza left over. Win-win. We chatted the whole time, Denise is such a kind and funny person, we really enjoyed our time spent with her.

We got to the movie right at 7, but it was so crowded, there was a line out of the door-so they didn’t start the movie until everyone was inside. Small towns. Gotta love them! I found the movie to be great, both giving me flashbacks from when I was a kid-total Barbie lover over here-and also very relevant to life now, as an adult woman. I laughed, I’m embarrassed to admit I teared up, and I laughed some more. It was great, and also so nice to feel like a normal human again-out doing normal people things. Even if I was in wool leggings and a jacket that hasn’t been washed this year. Haha.

Denise dropped us back off here at the motel afterwards, and she’s going to pick us up at 9am to take us back to Belden. We keep joking that we’re going to get her to take us to the other road closer to Quincy, and skip that 25 miles, but we know we won’t. This bed is huge and it’s very comfortable. I think it’s bedtime. Goodnight!