CANNOT BELIEVE WE HAVE ALREADY MADE IT TO THE ANDERSON'S!
Let me explain: The Anderson's are some of the trails most notorious Trail Angels (along with the Saufley's of course). They let hikers into their home, camp on their property and feed hikers three meals a day! Whereas the Saufley's are referred to as the place to get your chores done, the Anderson's is where you go to sit and do nothing - to relax in the most ultimate way. There is a sign there that says "Hippie Daycare". The anticipation has been high and we've been looking forward to coming here for a long time now, and can't believe the day is finally here!
Waking up was hard, even without having done the 24 beer challenge, we didn't get to sleep until 1:00 in the morning.
Angela, Ben and I had camped a few meters shy of the highway where the water cache was in a tiny, soft, secluded spot right off of the trail. Sour Cream and Lunchbox were at the water cache, and Smiles and Dr. Slosh had been lost in the night. We weren't sure where they had stopped or when we'd see them next, but planned on seeing them at the Anderson's.
But what did I see when I popped my head out of the tent that morning? Bleary from lack of sleep? Was it Dr. Slosh? Yes, that is Dr. Slosh standing on the other side of that bush (only visible from waist up) holding up a beer in a beer cozy, grinning like a lunatic? Yes. Yes that is Dr. Slosh, happy as can be.
He was holding up his 18th (maybe 20th?) beer.
It was just the sight I needed to see to get me going in the morning. The laughing never stopped after that.
We made it to the first cache and filled up, knowing it was quite a hot distance to the next water cache (provided by the Anderson's themselves).
The hiking wasn't too hot, nor was it too steep. It WAS gorgeous, though. I don't know about anyone else, but I love the green type of desert: shrubs, bushes, chapparal, everything low to the ground but green green green! Wildflowers blooming, cacti mixed in occasionally...
The miles flew by with the help of my iPod and the next thing I knew, I was rounding the corner to find a hidden oasis within the trees. Are those people? Is that... are those... COOLERS? FULL OF POP AND BEER!?!?
Jaw dropping - literally. Everyone cheered and held up their beverages.
Stunned, I flung the pack down and jumped hurdles to get to the cooler. Just a few beers left! I had a beer and a Dr. Shasta. I had been ahead of Ben and Angela and had the pleasure of watching them stumble upon this Trail Magic: priceless.
Dr. Slosh and Smiles made it there as well! Here we were, all of us, one happy, thriving, trail family sipping cold drinks in the middle of the rolling hills. It was Sunset, Games, Reason, Lunchbox, Dr. Slosh, Smiles, Sour Cream, Ben, Angela, and I. Games and Reason are a great couple from Arizona who have been hiking with Sunset off and on. It was the first time I had officially met them.
We lounged in the shade for a while, before pressing onward to the Anderson's (only a few miles away).
Starfox, Busted and others arrived just as we were leaving... I love seeing hikers come across Trail Magic.
The last few miles got HOT. Hot enough to dampen my spirits... but once the highway was in sight (the highway we'd be hoping to hitch a ride on) I spotted a van with all of it's doors open.
Hmmm... I secretly hoped it was a Trail Angel just WAITING to pick up hikers as they trickled down the mountain, but deep down I stifled those hopes so as not to be disappointed.
I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED - IT WAS A VAN OPENING ITS ARMS AND INVITING ME IN! Sour Cream and Ben were already in the van when I got down to the road and music was blasting from the car. It was Little Steps! She's a Trail Angel who is hangin' out at the Anderson's shuttling hikers to and from their house! THIS IS A DREAM COME TRUE!!!!
Smiles and Dr. Slosh were up on the ridge, within eyesight, and I waved them to hurry and get down to the car. I watched as Smiles quickened her step, both of them racing down the mountain.
All of us in the van, flying to the Anderson's in an air conditioned vehicle, I felt lucky.
As we pulled up at their home, "Casa de Luna" is what they call it, we saw 30-40 other hikers dressed in hawaiian shirts lounging in the front yard. They began the slow clap, and soon, we were being celebrated as we emptied the vehicle and retrieved their packs.
Wow, the cheering! The clapping! Hey guys.
Every time a vanload of hikers gets dropped off, everyone else does the slow clap and cheers them on - it's quite a spectacle.
We were whisked away and given a tour of the property and a run-down of how it works there. There would be Taco Salad dinner at 7pm and pancakes from 6-9 in the morning. Wow.
Wow wow wow wow wow.
After the tour, we all set off to find our respective camp spots. Their property vaguely reminded me of the Pendarvis Farm in Happy Valley (where Pickathon is held) in that it seemed to stretch forever into the woods. This was a low, thick, manzanita forest and thankfully there were plenty of secluded camp spots to choose from. Ben and I chose a quiet spot near the back and Sour Cream camped a few spots over from us.
It was very peaceful. We rested and unfurled our sleeping mats and bags, prepping our beds before going down to the party.
The Anderson's are known for their unbelievable hospitality and sometimes "party" atmosphere. We'd heard it was a great deal of fun and were excited to start mingling and eating and drinking.
The huskies chillin' on the futon.
Eugene, Oregon. The atmosphere reminded me of Eugene and made me nostalgic for college. It felt a little bit like the Campbell Club or the Whiteaker Neighborhood... I began to miss home, slightly.
The taco salad was to die for. When they told us what would be served, I couldn't even begin to imagine how they could cook enough food to feed the 60 hungry hikers... But they pulled it off! A vat of beans, a vat of rice, heaps and heaps of olives, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, etc.
We were instructed, by Terrie Anderson herself, to wash our hands and get in line, the line winding out into and up the street, as the starving hikers eagerly waited.
SO. GOOD. SOOOOO GOOOOD. And filling!
As the night wound up (dance party, strobe light, tables and chairs being rearranged to make room for a dance floor) I was winding down, exhausted and extremely sunburnt from the heat of the day. It was fun for a few hours, but most of our crew had retreated to their sleeping quarters by about 11pm. That is like 2:00am hiker time.
9:00pm is considered "hiker midnight". It was well past my bedtime. Perhaps tomorrow I can manage to keep my eyelids open longer!
1 comment:
Ohhh.. I am so jealous...
Post a Comment