AZT Map Miles 446.0
Miles Hiked 435.7
Elevation 3,232 feet
Miles Hiked Today 4.5
I believed I would have trouble getting to the trail from Globe this morning, so I tried to arrange for a shuttle. I had no luck. The hotel owner offered to take me 5.5 miles to highway 188. It was most appreciated. During the ride, I asked how business is. He had a lot to say on the topic. Mainly he can’t get people to work for him. He gives employees extra money for food, and if they don’t have a place to stay, he gives them a hotel room. It doesn’t matter. They quit after a few days. He blames most of the problem on government free money give aways. Why should people work when they get money for nothing? It was a short, but disheartening conversation.
From there I had to hitchhike the 35 miles to the area where I exited the trail two days ago. I got one ride within a few minutes. That took me 15 miles. Then I sat for 2 1/2 hours. The highway is not well traveled. I was counting an average of one vehicle about every 5 minutes. Sometimes there were no cars passing by for 10 minutes. I had visions of camping there when no one picked me up.
Finally, after 2 1/2 hours I got a ride. It was a nice old guy who raged about numerous social injustices. We had a lively conversation. He dropped me past where I left the trail on Sunday. I decided to just redo those miles.
I started at 11 AM, rehiked about 4 miles and added another 4.5 miles to that before I setup camp at 5 PM. I’m not showing the repeated miles in the totals at the beginning of the blog.
I’ve got to do some big miles in the next few days to get back on track. I also may have to make an unscheduled stop in Superior. I need stove fuel, and I’m not sure I have enough food to get to Oracle.
