Last night got really cold. Had to get up a couple time times to add more air to the pad. Put on another layer, and dig out my buff. Soon as dawn broke I got up and found the (nicely heated) camp ground bathroom. Spent some quality time on the toilet. Luxury.
Folks were milling around after I got my coffee going. Had a couple helpings of spuds for breakfast. Those things are money on a cold morning. A hot satisfying lump in the stomach. I am a convert to the current hiker thinking about Idahoan Potatoes.
Our little group packed up and headed out. Jim stayed behind for a shower. We ran into him later in Idyllwild. We hiked together all morning. A little bit of road walking, then a nice trail, and finally a lot of exposed fire road walking climbing up and over some big hills to drop into Idyllwild.
Several folks stopped and offered rides while we were on the highway. Such nice people.
When we left the road to get back on the trail, we stopped at a cal fire station so Towonda could beg for a bathroom break. The guys there were cool with it. Had a good chat about the local fires. Apparently they have had 6 calls already in the last week. One was caused by a bunch of kids driving around shooting a roman candle out the car window. Stupid is as stupid does. Showed them my magical unicorn wrapped shoe. That put a wet blanket on the conversation. I don’t think they knew how to react to that one. heh.
I managed a good showing on the climb. Turns out my pack weighs almost as much as their combined pack weight. Fortunately Quark’s feet are hurting(blisters), so I’m representing the gen-x ers well. We didn’t get trophies for coming in last, young-ins……
Near the top of the fire road, Quark and Towonda did their first set of pushups to atone for the short quarter mile hitch they got to Paradise Cafe yesterday. They’ve worked out that some kind of payback is needed to the trail Gods. Towonda did 5 with her pack on. Quark 20. Caught a bit of this on video below.
I am clean with the Gods. Nobody wanted to give my ass a ride yesterday.
We rolled into Idyllwild and stopped at a little strip mall. Twonda ran off to get a pregnancy test?!? There was a mild concern that a trail baby could be in the making. Turns out it was a false alarm. Quark was happy/sad. They make a good couple.
We had a long afternoon of pizza, beer, and appetizers. Then the weirdness showed up in the form of a French-Canadian thru-hiker named Dr. Feelgood. He sort of shows up after we finished eating and was getting ready to box up the leftovers. He sits down, starts talking about being an out-of-work game developer. He is staying at a campground that costs him $5 and his Dr friend in Canada wiring him a “special” prescription to the local pharmacy. We offer him a slice of pizza, then he proceeds to eat 3 slices of Quark’s and all of mine. Then he leaves, never to be seen again. Man, this hike is going to be a story machine. We can’t stop laughing about him.
Got some new treads today from the outfitter. I showed the gal my unicorn shoe, she got me a similar feeling shoe called “la sportiva” and the deal was done. Spent another hour watching Quark try on new shoes. He has some nasty blisters on his heals plus blisters on his pinky toes. Guy can’t get a break. His wife has no problems and she keeps hiking like a sherpa. Anyway, deed was done and we headed to the Idylwild inn for the night.
I soaked in the tub for a couple hours, surrounded in dirty water of my own making. I wanted to see how dark it got, you know, for science. Didn’t get a picture sorry. After it drained there was a long sandy trail at the bottom of the tub. Looked like the trail I just walked. Fitting.
Shared a late night bottle of wine and Jim showed up again to join us. He apparently timed his hike to coincide with the worst heat of the day. Get some, Jim.
I’m zeroing tomorrow to recoup and resupply. Twonda and Quark are heading out.