Day 25--Zero Day In Wrightwood

Written Friday, 14 May 2021

Wrightwood is a great place to spend a zero day.

Had most of my errands done yesterday so today was all about relaxing, recovering, and getting caught up on the blog, all of which I did.

Ran into Peanut Butter and Jack at breakfast at the Village Grind (free coffee for PCT hikers).

Tried to arrange a ride back to the Trail for early tomorrow, and the Trail Angel agreed to take me out at 0645, but, late this afternoon, so called me back to say the earliest she could go was 1100 (reasonable on a Sunday morning).

I was able to talk to the owner of ULA packs, Peter, and get a new pack (which has to be custom made) expedited to me up the Trail. My current pack is a great one, and I've carried it for over 1,000 miles of trail hiking, but it really is designed for lighter loads than I am carrying so I'm replacing it preemptively before I have a catastrophic failure somewhere I can't deal with it. Was very impressed with Peter's approach to customer service. It will still be a challenge to coordinate the delivery to a town up the Trail. Fingers crossed.

Walked down to Jensen's with Top Rock (who split a room with me last night) to meet his ride back to the Trail at 1700. The ride showed at 1730, and I was able to talk her into giving me a ride at 0700 tomorrow. Score!

It will be strange not to be hanging out with Top Rock tonight. I think we have been racked out within a few feet of each other for at least the last 4 nights. Top is also an Appalachian Trail hiker (he thru hiked last year) so we always had plenty to talk about.

Had dinner with Peanut Butter and Jack tonight. While we were waiting for a table, we started talking to another hiker who looked like he hadn't yet had a chance to clean up from the Trail (which turned out to be true). We all sat together, and the new guy, " 'Sota Pop," was on his phone, trying to find a place to stay (impossible in a resort town, close to LA on a Friday night), so I just offered him Top Rock's bed.

'Sota Pop is from Minnesota, but went to Iowa State (where my parents met) and majored in Aerospace Engineering (which was my major in college). He was so relieved to have a place to camp for the night, you could just see the anxiety melt off him.

This is probably the last time I'll see Peanut Butter and Jack. They are staying here another day, and I'll probably be past Agua Dulce (where they are leaving the Trail) before they catch up with me. Too bad. They are both impressive guys.

All the food and beverages are good in this town. We should all meet up here someday.

Safe, dry, and warm in my motel room for one more night.

Miles hiked today: Bluto Total miles hiked: 369.1

Sea Otter Fact of the Day:. Sea otter moms almost always have a single pup at a time. On rare occasions, they may give birth to twins. Unfortunately, this usually means that one of the two pups must be abandoned. The level of energy required to care for two pups at the same time is simply too great. Trying to keep and raise both pups would endanger the lives of both pups and the mother.