Day 68, A Hero's Nearo

Part 2, The Sierra Nevada, Day 68

A Hero's Nearo

Miles: 2.27

PCT Mile: 1017.1

A great thing about this trail is that no matter how bad a day or two can get, each new day is a fresh opportunity to start over. During the previous section, I hit a bump in the road. I realize now that thru hiking has countless bumps in the road, and I think that's beautiful. I get to have countless opportunities to embrace and learn from hardship. I think this is helping me grow as a person. 

I woke up throughout the night to the raging wind almost tearing my tent apart. I had cell service and checked the weather and saw that a red flag warming was in effect and that 70 mph winds were forecast. That explains the gusts when I was on top of Sonora Pass!

Being mere miles from Highway 108, and knowing an early hitch would be difficult, I read until 8am and then packed up.

I waited at the highway for 25 minutes before a lively couple, Joe and Patricia, picked me up and drive me 10 miles to Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station.

I realize this may be confusing, since I've already been to a Kennedy Meadows, but this is a different one. 

I arrived to madness. Horses, people, and cars everywhere! I made my way straight to the restaurant and ordered breakfast, like any sane hiker would do.

This so hit the spot, and the prices were decent here. I went outside and sat with some hikers for awhile, then I saw a dog with no eyes:

I picked up my resupply box. I can use the food, but what I really needed was the maps for the next 200 miles. 

This whole place has a western theme, and there were lots of folks dressed as Cowboys. I found this food bar in the store. It's a candy bar with a Larry the Cable Guy theme. 

Needless to say, I did not buy it, athough the thought of getting stuff done with the efficiency of Larry the Cable Guy does appeal to me. 

I went to the lobby and mailed home my bear canister. I won't miss the weight, but I will miss the seat. 

I thought of hitching back to the trail, but then I got smart. I desperately needed a break, so I asked for a bed in the hiker dorm and fir 35 bucks, I got a bed, shower, and laundry. Here is the dorm, which is directly above the restaurant:

No other hikers showed up, so I got the whole place to myself! I had to wait until 2pm to have the room, so I went next door to the Saloon. What a great place! It was old fashioned and the bartender, Al, was a die hard Giants fan and we talked baseball for a long time. Al is from Watsonville and he's pretty old. He had several stories to tell me about Big Sur in the 40's and 50's. I listened over several drinks.

Here's the Ol' fella:

I left and got settled in the dorm, and that's when I met Roadwalker. He's a mid 40's thru hiker who is a professor of sociology in the civilian world. He asked to interview me about the trail, so that happened. We went back to the Saloon to watch the Giants play the Dodgers and had a few beers, then we ate dinner.

This was a great Nearo, just what I needed, though I could've spent more time off my feet. I'm sitting all alone in the hiker dorm and it's so nice. I'm surrounded by pictures of old cowboys and such. The door just opened and closed by itself, and the window rattled. Is this place haunted? There is a picture of this creepy totem Above my bed:

I kind of would have liked to be on the trail today, because aside from Father's day, it was national hike naked day, and the summer solstice. I wasn't gonna hike naked, but many PCT'ers do, and apparently it's quite the spectacle.

Time to go to bed. I go back to the hiking world tomorrow, I just hope my body is ready.