We slept in this morning since the grocery store in Independence didn’t open until 10am. Batteries and Pepper Jack left the room early to find some breakfast at the gas station/convenience store. I organized my food and made a grocery list for the grocery store. At 10am there were a half dozen thru-hikers converging on the store. After shopping there, I stopped by the convenience store for a couple other items, then went back to the room to get it all packed up. We were to be out of the room by noon and we barely made it.
Batteries and Freight Train were wanting to go back to the trail, but Pepper Jack, Intruder and I were lobbying to take the rest of the day off and rest. Panda settled the impasse when he told us he had found us all a ride tomorrow morning from some folks at the motel. We put on our backpacks, walked a couple blocks to the Independence Courthouse Motel where Panda, Gloves, Chubs and Jackhammer were staying and got a room. I spent the balance of the afternoon making some phone calls and journaling and check out town for dinner options. The only option, other than the grocery store which closed at 5pm, was the Still Life Café. I planned to eat a burger there, but at 4:45pm learned that after 2pm, only dinner entrees were served (all over$25.00). So I returned to the grocery store for a deli sandwich and returned to the motel room.
The evening was spent journaling, drinking beer and watching movies including Twins, Tombstone, and You’ve Got Mail! on TV. I had forgotten how much Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenneger look alike! My cut up feet got a day off and I desperately needed the rest after tough days in the Sierras. Tomorrow morning we push out early to return to the snowy high country!
