A pleasant day in town. Stayed in bed until 9:30am resting and blogging. Got up and showered. Searching for breakfast. Asked the woman running the campground, an exceptionally nice person, where to go. She suggested the bakery-clear across town-then she offered me her electric bike to use. Yes! Rode to the bakery and found Nurse, DG, Franzia, and 70 pound Hammer all outside eating breakfast. They were astonished at my riding up on an electric bike. I was to buy food for breakfast and lunch so I got a Turkey and Swiss cheese calzone, a big slice of spinach quiche, an apple fritter and a thick slice of coffee cake, plus a can of Sprite. Took my food out to join the others. Promptly ate all I had bought. We talked for about 15 more minutes, then I got up to leave but first I bought a brownie for the campground lady as a thank you and a cherry pastry for me. Then I rode this electric rocket of a bike to the hardware store and bought two new bungee cords for their bike. The ones they had were totally wasted.
It was now about noon. I spent the next few hours packing, organizing, charging devices and making phone calls before I slip into the woods and it’s cell phone blackout status.
Nurse and I headed out to the main road thru Lake City about 3:45pm to thumb a ride to the pass. After about 25 minutes and about 25 rejections a heavy set woman in her mid 60’s driving the other way in a late model white Jeep Wagoneer stopped in the middle of the road to ask us if we were going to the pass. We said yes. She said, “Well shit, let’s get you up there!” And did a U-turn and pulled in next to us. She said she needed to get gas and drove 50 yards to a gas station. She already was filling up by the time we walked over. Nurse had to ride in the back with the seat down, stretched out in a reclining position. I rode in front.
This is why I love hitchhiking. You meet the most interesting people. She moved to Lake City from Texas 13 years ago and now hates Texans for all sorts of reasons: they won’t pick up hitchhikers, their conservative politics, them buying up all the properties and driving up prices in Lake City, their use of ATVs in the mountains which is causing massive erosion and their use in town because of the noise. Lake City has become a spot Texans come to spend the summer to avoid the summer heat. We got an ear full on the drive as well as some good discussions. It is 23 miles to the pass and takes about 45 minutes.
She let us out in the parking lot at the pass. I tried to give her five bucks to help with gas, as did Nurse, but she would have none of it. I would have enjoyed another hour in the car with her. Lots of personality and spunk.
We moved to the picnic area and occupied a table for the next hour and a half, just talking and cooking and eating dinner. About 7:30pm I set up my tent and crawled in. I was tired and happy to get to sleep. I’m excited to see if a zero day or two really makes a difference. (I already know they make a huge difference).
The River View RV campground. This area is for tent walk-ins, meaning CDT hikers. Yesterday this photo would have 12 tents in it. He dropped the price from $20 a night to $10 a night while I was there.
This is the office, laundry and public space area.
A street in Lake City. Half the roads are dirt. Very cute town. About 50-75 hikers a night are in town.
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