Friday, June 15, 2012

Day 55-57 - Civilization Once More

Tuesday night I camped with Dayhiker, Memphis, Train, Noamp and Squarepeg about 3.5 miles from a road that would take us into Mammoth Lakes the next day.  We arranged a ride with a trail angel named Sugar Mama.

The next morning we hiked in to the parking lot at Horseshoe Lake.  It was the first road I had seen since leaving Kennedy Meadows, nearly 2 weeks and over 200 miles of hiking ago.  Sugar Mama met us there with coffee, bananas and brownies for a pre-breakfast.  She drove the 6 of us and all our packs into town in her VW van, which doubles as her home.  We went to a restaurant for breakfast and hung out there for a while.

After checking into a motel I had a long shower, went to lunch and the grocery store.  The town of Mammoth Lakes is a bit larger than most of the towns I've stopped in so far.  It's a nice looking place with lots of restaurants and outdoors stores.  After buying a couple days' worth of food I caught a ride on the free trolley back to my room.

The next morning I did laundry.  I think this picture is a bit out of focus, but it shows how dirty my clothes get and why I like to give them a pre-wash rinse in a sink or tub prior to tossing them in the washing machine.
For dinner I went to a pizza place across the street and got a large 16" pizza, thinking I'd eat most of it and have the rest later in my room. But I ate the whole thing; the hiker hunger is out of control, yet I think I'm still losing weight.

I slept in a bit this morning, still digesting last night's pizza. I mailed my microspikes home, didn't need them for walking on snow after all, then got a couple donuts at a bakery nearby. After I got packed I started hiking back to the trail. It was about 5 miles from town to where I got off the trail, but instead of trying to flag down a ride I decided to walk the nice bike path that goes all the way out there, passing a couple lakes and campgrounds along the way. Later in the year there will actually be a bus that goes up there.

Once back to the trailhead it was another 4 miles back to the trail. I got 12 more in just before it got dark. I should be able to make it to Tuolumne Meadows tomorrow.

4 comments:

  1. I have just been reflecting on all the adventures you have had in the past two months - the other hikers you have met, the trail angles who have been so gracious, and the amazing scenery. But most of all I am realizing how the PCT has let me get more of a glimpse of who you are and what you are accomplishing.

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