Yesterday evening concluded with a two-hour soak in the motel Jacuzzi with Phantom, Good To Go, Flamingo, and Nitro. This morning we were up surprisingly early considering it was a zero-mile day. Breakfast at The Kettle was amazingly good. Even better was running into Opto and Squirrel, old hiking friends from our Appalachian Trail experience in 2001. Squirrel is having serious foot problems (sounds familiar!) and is holding back another day or two. Opto is hiking out today.
The news about the mountain above us here in Idyllwild continues to be bad. There are several miles of deep snow, and the trail is buried. Many hikers have apparently attempted to find their way, so there are tracks leading in all kinds of directions. Almost all have come down the mountain and have done a road walk to avoid the steep terrain where a fall could certainly result in injury or death. Tomorrow we will hitch out of town back to the trail, and on Thursday it will be our turn to attempt finding a way through the snow.
Today was a typical trail town zero day: laundry, internet/e-mail use at the public library, mail pick-up, grocery shopping, mail forwarding, hardware store fore denatured alcohol for the stove, and other miscellaneous chores including cleaning of gear. Zero days sound relaxing, but they are often hectic with many organizational and logistical issues to be addressed with some significant deadlines. Today was no exception. I was finally able to relax a little after 5:30 p.m. I did a mini-class with Bryan from Oregon to teach him map and compass orienteering skills. Jeanette and Vin came by, as did Bryan, Nitro and Flamingo. Phantom and Mikey Mouse and I went to a quick dinner out, then Good To Go met all of us at the theatre for a 7:00 p.m. movie showing of “Kingdom of Heaven.” After the movie we headed back to the Tahquitz Inn where we found Nitro and Flamingo in the Jacuzzi. Phantom and Good TO Go and I joined them for awhile, then I came back to shower, pack up, and to write this journal entry. It’s 12:15 a.m. and Phantom’s still out there in Jacuzzi land. Is romance in the air? No comment from Rabbit on said subject regarding his buddy Phantom.
Idyllwild is a fabulous trail town, very compact, with everything a hiker needs. It’s got trees, too – very large ones, mostly Jeffney Pines. Today has been rainy and cold, and we suspect very snowy 3,000 feet above us. Tomorrow we will push out with 8 days food and 130 miles between us and Big Bear City. The comforts of town will be left behind, and we’ll go back to big trail miles, lots of terrain and temperature extremes, and sore feet! But I’m looking forward to getting back on trail and the challenge before us. I decided to give my shoes another 130 miles. We’ll see if they will be kinder than the first 150 miles! Blisters abound, but I fully expect that kind of pain. Happy journey all!
