
My view as I write. Trucks…
I thought it would be a good time to start another update on Adam’s PCT hike and what’s up on my end – because I had kind of a hard day yesterday. And because I’m sitting at a Safeway Distribution Center, waiting to get unloaded, and from past experience, I think that I’m going to be here a while. So I also have time.
After Adam’s crazy long day and on-trail zero in the rain, he got up the next day aged 40 instead of 39. It was his birthday. His 40th birthday! He had, I think, about 10 miles to go and he’d be in the town of Idyllwild. He was taking a PCT alternate to avoid a recent burn area, and the trail dropped him right in town. I think his original plan was to just get about halfway there and camp, then get into town the next day. But then he just hiked the whole way and got there that day! It hasn’t taken him long to fit right into the thru-hiker mold. Food and town and beds and showers and flush toilets and running water? They call at you hard when you’re on the trail, and when you’re *that* close to all those wonderful luxuries, you just hoof it. I’d say he’s gettin’ good at this hiking thing!
He did have to hike through some cold drizzly crud! Check out that snot!
Anyway, he made a pit stop at a campground along his route to town that morning, and sent me a text all excited because it had flush toilets! I responded what a nice birthday present for him! Flushies!
Break time at a campground en route to Idyllwild.
Once in town he got a room for two nights, with the plan to take a full zero and rest – and celebrate his birthday, because why wouldn’t he? It sounds like he ate food, found a good coffee shop (that also had heavy cream!), an outdoor store, got a room at a hotel that did his laundry for him (!!), and discovered since it was a weekend, there was live music around town. He landed himself at a place he thought had live music… His FB post said this:
“Oh snap! They’ve got a Jukebox here! Also, that live music I mentioned? I just found out it’s going to be provided by ME… Karaoke here at 8.”
Um, could his birthday turn out any more perfect? Karaoke is only like one of his favorite things ever! He even posted a few videos of his songs. Here’s one:
Before he left town, he stopped at the outdoor store and picked up a pair of Kahtoola microspikes for his shoes – in case Fuller Ridge was icy. Probably a pretty good idea. Especially after that podcast story I heard. Remember from my last blog entry? That girl? Who took a wrong step and slid down the mountainside, only to stop herself on a tree? I’m all in favor of those microspikes! They’ll also come in handy in the Sierra since it’s all full of snow now, too.
Some of his town booty.
Oh, and that reminds me… So Adam commented after my last blog post, “I love how you thought I didn’t know how bad you were freaking out. It was like when you have a good cribbage hand.” Yeah, it’s true. I get the biggest, stupidest smile on my face when I’ve got a good “barn-burner” of a cribbage hand. I can’t turn that off. And besides, after almost 17 years of marriage, I suppose he knows me pretty well. I really did think I was hiding it pretty well, though! I tried. I never have been a good actor.
On my end, after getting home after dropping Adam off in California, I had a weekend at home. I was crazy busy with getting some things caught up that we fell behind on in our hurry to get him ready to go last-minute. For example? Two hours of washing dishes. Ugh. I also checked off about 10 big things on a to-do list, including finalizing our tax return, going over our budget and bills and going for a 10-mile run! Among others! Hopefully my other weekends won’t feel so busy. This is taking some getting used to!
Me at the start of my 10-miler. Running is going to keep me sane. I think.
Then I went back out on the road with a load going to Colorado. Everything was going okay. Well, besides picking up my already loaded trailer with a low tire and a disconnected ABS light (thanks, previous driver, whoever you are! Grrrr!). I plugged the ABS light back in, and of course it was lit, so I had to make a stop at a shop to have them look at it. They cleaned out the connections and sent me on my way. Then it came back on and I stopped at another shop where they hooked it up, said something about a poorly spliced wire. He messed with it a little and sent me on my way. The light was out… For a little while, then it came back on again. I give up. The low tire? That turned out to be an easy one. I hooked up my fancy airline tire filler thing. It’s a hose that you hook to the airline of your tractor and you can use it to fill a tire. It was missing a valve stem cover, too, so I filled the tire, put on a new valve stem cover, and it’s held air ever since. Rough start, kind of a rough trip, and then I got to Denver and sat.
Hanging out way too long in my truck…
That brings me to yesterday. I had some extra time on this trip (which was good since I had to stop twice for the ABS light!), and my plan was to get a parking spot about 5 miles from my delivery at a Denver truck stop. No problem except that these truck stops are nearly always full. I planned to arrive in the morning, giving me the best shot at a spot. I arrived around 11am and the first truck stop was full, so I went to one on the other side of the highway and found a reserve spot for $14. I took it and shut down for the rest of the day – my delivery wasn’t until 7am the next morning.
I planned to take care of a few work chores, trip plan, do a quick workout, and then I was free to lay around and watch some Netflix. I thought it would be perfect. I did all those things and even took a nap, but I got a little stir crazy. I should have gotten out of the truck. All my fantasies of having time to lay around in my truck and just chill were not all they were cracked up to be. I need stay busier than that. I watched a show that had a girl that went to an underground wrestling match with a guy-friend and had a great time and it reminded me of when Adam got me to go to a WWE show with him and it was super-fun (they had giant beers, which helped), and it all just made me miss him.
Then he called and was heading out into the perfect, amazing wilderness in good spirits and I was just sitting in my stale truck being super sad, trying to hide it, but knowing this time that I was totally failing at it. It was hard. But after talking to him for a while, thankfully I cheered up a little bit. He has been so happy lately, and I can’t help but to eventually soak that up and be happy with him.
So I realized, that not only because I’m an active person, but also because Adam is so far away, I cannot just sit around for very long or I will go crazy. I start to miss him really bad, I start to think about how badly I’d love to be out there with him, or trade places with him, or just be anywhere else than where I am at that moment, really. You know, feeling sorry for myself in Sulk-ville.
But then, I eventually realize how amazing this all is, I refocus and keep moving forward, excited about what will happen next. Where will he be? Where will I be? Who knows! It’s a pretty exciting life right now!
Oh! An Aloha side story, before I forget! Aloha got “Aloha’d!” He got what he referred to as his “first unsolicited trail magic!” He was walking out of town on a curvy, paved road with lots of traffic and not a great shoulder when a lady pulled over and offered to give him a ride to where his route turns into a less-busy dirt jeep road. So he took the ride! Then she offered to take his trash, give him water… But he just came from town so he was all set. He could tell she just wanted to do something nice for him, and as she grabbed her pack of American Spirits, she asked him if he smoked. He told her he didn’t, but then she got this excited look on her face and asked, “weed?” Adam explained that he’s never smoked it before but wasn’t opposed to the idea. So she handed him a small bag of weed! Funniest thing ever! He’s in a state where it’s legal, so why not, right!? Haha! I don’t know if or when he’ll try it, but if he does, and doesn’t mind, I’ll let you all know how it goes! Weed! For his first trail magic! What a lucky guy, hey!? Too funny!
Just heading out… Must. Devour. Giant. Burrito. First.
On another not-as-exciting note in the story of my life, I got through a whole, successful week of 50k trail race training. My race is in mid-July, so I came up with a loose, flexible training plan. I’m actually on week 3, but the first two weeks were totally shot because that was when I was bringing Adam out to California, and I opted to trade in my training time for extra cuddles, cribbage and quality time with him (worth it!). Anyway, once I dropped him off, I jumped in on week 3 and finished it feeling pretty strong. I ran four times, my long run being a 10-miler, and all of them in my Bedrock sandals (which I’m hoping I can be ready to run the race in). So far, so good. I want to write more about that, too, so hopefully it’s not too dreadfully boring!
Cold, wet, socks and Bedrock sandals. Because that’s how I roll.
Right now, I imagine Adam is still sleeping snugly in his sleeping bag after a spooky night of twig-snapping and bear-sized squirrels stalking his little tent. He saw a coyote or something (hopefully not a kitty) right before going to bed, so he was a bit spooked. And me? Still sitting in the same dock, waiting for these lumpers (that’s what the guys unloading me are called. I have no idea why) finish taking all 40,000+ pounds of cheese out of my trailer.
Then? Onward.
—
Tonight I love feeling caught up on sleep. Been a while.
A taste of Adam’s amazing writing talent (this was a post he shared on FB):
[Narrated by David Attenborough]
The North American Leaning Hikertrash Tree. For those lucky enough to find its fruit, the nourishment provided can propel a backpacker to the next town or road crossing. Often when the fruit is visible, not far off are the trashpods, which birth backpackers in the morning, and the newborns pluck the fruit from the tree, carrying what they cannot eat in the versatile pouch along their spine.

Night hiking views!

The lobby of his hotel in Idyllwild. Cozy!

Foot pic! Not looking too bad so far!

I love this photo so much. I mean, I’m already attracted to him… Then he goes all thru-hiker on me! 😍

Town fooooood!

A pretty photo of the scenery coming down from Spitler Peak, I believe. Looks like rain!

Scary aftermath from a tick bite. (Which is already going away and he’s already thoroughly consulted with his sister who is a nurse, so try not to worry! He should be just fine.)

Another great Aloha selfie. 😊