Zero Day in Payson, AZ

Today was a zero day – a day with no hiking.  I’d like to say I relaxed all day and did nothing, but that would not be true.  There was a lot to do.

After cleaning gear and tending to some home financial chores, it was off to Walmart.  I decided to buy a new Sawyer water filter.  The old one was not giving a good flow while filtering.  Additionally,  it had filtered some really dirty water and my confidence in it was not high.  I also picked up some more freeze dried dinners.  This next section of trail was going to be long and I might run short with what I had.

I also bought a new bag for food.  However, when I got it back to the hotel and opened it, I realized it wouldn’t work.  After, surveying what I had and what more I needed, I took off for the post office.  I only had a few items to send home, but one was that huge Ursack bag that I used for my food.  I really wanted to get rid of that bag.

After the post office, it was to a store named “Rim to Rim” in search of new shoes.  My current hiking shoes had big holes in the upper mesh of the shoe.  I got a super deal on a pair of Merrel boots – only $10 over Amazon’s price.

After a pizza at Pizza Hut, I looked around a sporting goods store for a new food stuff sack.  They had nothing, so it will be plan B when I load my backpack.  At Walmart, again, I returned the bag I bought there earlier in the day.

Back at the motel, I started loading my backpack.  I decided to use only Smelly Bags for food storage.  You can’t hang them, but there are few if any bears on the AZT. I’ve been sleeping with my food anyway.  We’ll see how that works.

Later in the evening, I heard from Dawn.  She is in Payson, too, at the Majestic Mountain Inn.  She’ll be leaving early in the morning by taxi.  I didn’t think I could be ready in the morning as early as she wanted to leave, so I’ll probably see her again on the trail.