Day Eight – Thursday, June 1
CAMPSITE AT PCT 129.2 TO PARADISE VALLEY CAFE PCT MILE 151.9
22.6 Miles
We had one goal today – to make it to the legendary Paradise Valley Cafe in time to get food before they closed at 8 p.m. It was 22.6 miles on the PCT and one more mile on the road from where we camped high on the ridge below Combs Peak. It was an awesome campsite, and a beautiful sunrise as we packed up this morning.
The first few miles were cool and downhill and meandering. We took a break a little before 10 a.m. and then we climbed and climbed and climbed. This section reminded me of hiking out of the Grand Canyon with my family years ago. Red rock, little shade, lots of lizards. Stephen and I saw our first (and fingers crossed only) rattlesnake this morning. We didn't stick around long enough to take a photo.
We reached a water cache at mile 145 that was unlike any other. A trail angel named Mary, who we didn't get to meet, not only had water and picnic tables, but also a free little library like you see in some towns. There were life-size cutouts of Henry David Thoreau (whose 200th birthday is in 2017, I learned) and Walt Whitman next to the library. It was a neat literary oasis in the desert. We spent all afternoon there, under our tarp that Stephen hung up in a tree for shade.
We started hiking again about 5 p.m. with 6.5 miles left to the Cafe. We cruised those last miles along a high ridge that offered some fantastic views and made it to the highway at 7 p.m. and to the cafe shortly after, where we sat outside (so as not to stink up the restaurant) with fellow hikers Haymaker and Sarah from Idaho.
The cafe was utterly amazing. Words cannot describe how delicious the chocolate milkshake was after two days of drinking only warm water. I had the Jose Burger, complete with bacon and avocado, and it was the perfect end to a great day of hiking – our longest day so far! The server was exceptionally friendly; she even filled up our water bottles and let us sleep on the front porch of the cafe.
Ahead is a 12-ish mile section ahead that's been closed since a wildfire burned through four years ago. There are a few different options for PCT hikers, each with drawbacks. We're still figuring out what we're going to do.
22.6 Miles
We had one goal today – to make it to the legendary Paradise Valley Cafe in time to get food before they closed at 8 p.m. It was 22.6 miles on the PCT and one more mile on the road from where we camped high on the ridge below Combs Peak. It was an awesome campsite, and a beautiful sunrise as we packed up this morning.
The first few miles were cool and downhill and meandering. We took a break a little before 10 a.m. and then we climbed and climbed and climbed. This section reminded me of hiking out of the Grand Canyon with my family years ago. Red rock, little shade, lots of lizards. Stephen and I saw our first (and fingers crossed only) rattlesnake this morning. We didn't stick around long enough to take a photo.
We reached a water cache at mile 145 that was unlike any other. A trail angel named Mary, who we didn't get to meet, not only had water and picnic tables, but also a free little library like you see in some towns. There were life-size cutouts of Henry David Thoreau (whose 200th birthday is in 2017, I learned) and Walt Whitman next to the library. It was a neat literary oasis in the desert. We spent all afternoon there, under our tarp that Stephen hung up in a tree for shade.
We started hiking again about 5 p.m. with 6.5 miles left to the Cafe. We cruised those last miles along a high ridge that offered some fantastic views and made it to the highway at 7 p.m. and to the cafe shortly after, where we sat outside (so as not to stink up the restaurant) with fellow hikers Haymaker and Sarah from Idaho.
The cafe was utterly amazing. Words cannot describe how delicious the chocolate milkshake was after two days of drinking only warm water. I had the Jose Burger, complete with bacon and avocado, and it was the perfect end to a great day of hiking – our longest day so far! The server was exceptionally friendly; she even filled up our water bottles and let us sleep on the front porch of the cafe.
Ahead is a 12-ish mile section ahead that's been closed since a wildfire burned through four years ago. There are a few different options for PCT hikers, each with drawbacks. We're still figuring out what we're going to do.
I look forward to reading every post - such an amazing adventure. And, I intend to be a much more generous Trail Angel on the AT this summer. Wow, Californians are generous!!
ReplyDeleteMom W
Enjoying hearing about your trek. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBob S (found your blog from Bruce Wood's D football site)