0 miles - Total to date - 415.9 miles
Ascent - 0’ , Descent - 0’ - Zero Day in Dunsmuir (1501.2)
Today was a success!! Zero day!! I did nothing. Nada. Zero.
Double D stayed with me last night. He got up and out the door about 6:45am, hitching a ride to the trail and heading north. He said his ankle felt better this morning. I hope it is because he is pounding out 30 miles today, tomorrow and the next day to get to Etna to meet friends.
I lazed in bed, catching up on my blog, dozing and generally letting my body regain its strength. I had bought frozen egg and sausage croissant yesterday. I walked to the office to nuke them for breakfast. About 10:00 am or so I saw the kids in the room across the parking lot out sorting their gear and appear to be getting ready to hike. Breaking my cardinal rule of zero days, I walked across the parking lot to chat with them. They expressed surprise at my exertions. I had told them I didn't walk on a zero day. We joked and kidded for 15 or 20 minutes. During this time a taxi arrived to take Riley back to the trail. After she left, I asked if they could carry me back to my room as I had used up my allotted steps for the day. 😏
Back in my room I blogged and researched some stuff on the Internet, inflated and washed my sleeping pad and just laid around. I talked to Derek, showing him how to use the coffee machine.
About 12:30 pm the kids (Road Kill, Joe Dirt, Clover and Rad) asked if I wanted to go to lunch with them at the Wagon Wheel restaurant. They serve breakfast all day which sounded great. We walked to town and had a wonderful lunch in this renovated warehouse type building with high ceilings, brick walls and wood floors. They had heard of my riddles that I use to distract from the pain of hiking and so we tried a couple during lunch. They had a blast figuring them out. They got the first one fairly quickly, but we left the restaurant before they had the second one done.
Rad was hitchhiking up to Shasta to meet a friend. We said goodbye in town, then walked back to the lodge. Along the way I walked with Road Kill and got to know her a bit better.
They grabbed their packs, said goodbye and loaded in the lodge owners car to be transported back to the trail to be on their way. After they left it seemed very quiet and a bit isolated and lonely.
Home again and more lazing around, giving my body time to heal. I packed my pack for tomorrow and wrote myself a reminder on my phone to remember my pound of Swiss cheese in the fridge in the morning.
About 6:30 pm I had just finished my dinner of beef stew and peaches washed down with Diet Pepsi and was putting on my shoes to walk to the gas station for a dessert when I heard a knock on my door. It was Rad. He was back, along with Medicine Pouch and a girl I had not met, from Australia. They said they were heading up the PCT northbound when they met Joe Dirt, Road Kill and Clover coming sobo, returning to the lodge. They had called a taxi for a ride and would arrive shortly. At first it sounded like they all wanted to pile in my room. I could accommodate them, but it would be packed with 7 of us, but when the taxi arrived I found Joe Dirt had rented a room. We chatted for a bit, creating quite a noise in the parking lot right outside occupied rooms. I played the heavy and suggested we lower our voices, which everyone did.
I headed south to the quickie store while they moved in. I found some bread and marshmallows for a snack and lunch tomorrow and returned. Everyone was gone, but Rad’s pack was in my room. About 9:45 pm Rad stuck his head in the door and grabbed his pack, moving in with the rest, six in a room. They had been out to dinner and grocery shopping.
I talked to Derek and he is fine leaving at 8:30 am tomorrow morning when the owner can run us to the trailhead. I would prefer earlier, but I am not that picky, so 8:30 am it is. At least we have a ride secured.
So was it a successful zero day? Emphatically, yes! I rested and played and am ready to get back on the trail. I have to admit it is very comfortable and the trail is not. I can see how kids get stuck in trail towns, especially if they drink. But, I will be back sweating up mountains tomorrow, putting in the miles and looking for scenery I can't see due to the smoke. Why am I leaving?
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