10/20/2021
Azt Map Miles 329.2
Miles Hiked 319.4
Elevation 5,373
Miles Hiked Today 8.5
It was really cold this morning. At least freezing if not colder. Dawn and I took off together about 6:45 AM. Our plan to stay with a trail angel was falling apart. Shannon, the trail angel, told me she lived three miles outside of Pine and that was not good. Furthermore, she never gave me a phone number. How was I supposed to call her? The nail in the coffin was when she said she would not be available to let us in her house until after 5 PM. We decided to make alternate plans.
The hike was the same as yesterday – up and down. It warmed up fast, and I had to shed some clothes layers. Dawn was already pulling further away, so I stopped to take off my coat and change hats while she quickly hiked out of sight.
The hike went okay until I met Moon Juice head on. Yes, I got turned around and was hiking northbound. I changed direction and went to the point of my error. I had missed a trail cairn. The error cost me ten minutes each way. At least it wasn’t longer!
To ease my pain (going backward), the trail started getting easier. I reached the Pine Trailhead at 11:45 AM. I hurried to That Brewery to say goodbye to Dawn and Moon Juice, but the restaurant was closed. I had no idea where they may have gone. That was that. The post office was my next stop to get my resupply and then I hitchhiked to Payson, AZ. Dawn had mentioned the Quality Inn in Payson as being a good place to stay, so that’s where I got a room for two nights. Now it’s time to rest and get ready for the next part of the trail.
