PCT Map Miles 266.2
Miles Hiked 202.0
Elevation 6,794 feet
Miles Hiked Today .5
I was up early even though I didn’t need to be. My sleep rhythm is just attuned to rising from bed at 5:30 AM. The other hikers in the camp were either gone or about to leave by the time I got things packed up.. A trail angel whose house I was scheduled to stay at was to pick me up at the trailhead on highway 18 at 9 AM, so I didn’t leave camp until 8 AM.
The hike to the trailhead only took 15 minutes. When I arrived, my camp mates from the night before were still there waiting to be picked up. They didn’t wait long after I arrived. When they left, I sat down and ate a protein bar and waited. After a little while, another hiker who I hadn’t seen in over a week walked up. How I got ahead of him I have no idea. Jordan was staying a couple of nights in town, also.
Kenny picked me up a little before 9 AM, and we headed for his house. I had a private room reserved for two nights. When we arrived, I was taken aback by what I saw. There were a lot of hikers there. I thought this would be a situation similar to what I had in Idyllwild where only a few hikers were at the house. Nope! He had mattresses, couches and whatever all over the place for hikers. Kenny told me he hosted 450 hikers last year, and from what I could see, I believed him.
When talking with Jordan earlier, I told him I had a bad premonition about this place, and it turned out to be true. Kenny is well liked in the hiker community and in another situation, his place would have been great. However, I was looking for a nice place to relax and take care of personal business online and on the phone. Somewhere where there were not a lot of other hikers.
I went into my assigned room. Bedding from a previous occupant was still on the bed. I stripped the bed down to the mattress pad and threw them into a washing machine. Kenny left for church and most of the hikers headed to the trail. I was not happy with the situation and started looking at hotels online. I found a super deal for Big Bear Frontier Resort. It was just a little over what Kenny was going to charge me for the private room. I reserved it. Then I put $20 in an envelope and left a note that my plans had changed and left.
It took an hour to get to the hotel. There was a big race event on a mountain, and it was suddenly called off due to lightning and rain. It screwed up my bus route, which delayed things. Anyway, I arrived at the hotel by noon, and I was so happy. What a nice place! The room had cable TV, microwave, refrigerator, coffee machine, and get this. It had a fireplace. How cool. I felt really bad walking out on Kenny, but this is what I really wanted.
Later, I did laundry and met Jordan for lunch. The day turned out okay.
