Fantastic views in the night from my sleeping bag AND I slept relatively well!
Ben, not waking up in the a.m.
The 11 miles down to Tehachapi were a breeze, as my eagerness to get to our hotel room got stronger with each step.
I fantasized about the shower, the clean bed, the meals... These luxuries were so close I could barely stand it. I've never wanted anything so badly, to be able to just lay down and stare into space, comfortably, no slanting, no rocks, no poking dried leaves, no wind, in a temperature controlled setting.
There was Trail Magic! WITH CHAIRS! Just a few miles to go...
Everyone enjoying the magic...
Burn zones and wind mills for miles.
We reached Willow-Springs Road!! Civilization in sight!
The luckiest people in the world, we snagged a ride in about 30 minutes. Sour Cream and Busted in the bed of a truck, having to lay flat so we didn't get a pulled over and given a ticket. The drive was short and our 2 trail angels gave us a mini-tour if the city, complete with local history. They even dropped us off at the entrance to the Best Western, where we would be taking a proper zero day. HALLELUJAH.
I will not even attempt to articulate the emotions that washed over me as I opened the door to our suite.
How do I describe the joy? The elation. The emotion. The pure bliss.
First things first: shower #1.
Next: lay flat in the clean white sheets for 3 hours staring at the ceiling, absorbing the stillness, the quietness, the softness.
The clean-ness.
I've noticed that when I've been walking for hours on end each day, it's sort of like being in a car all day. Not in a carsick way, just in the way that you don't want to be moving anymore, you crave stillness. Or at least I do. The only time I'm still is when I'm sleeping or resting, and when I'm resting... I'm usually sleeping.
We finally mustered up the energy to walk to "T.K.'s Pizza" down the road.
Glazed over, Ben and I inhaled a giant pizza & root beers. Everyone else joined us.
Back in bed.
After plenty of quiet time, we joined forces with beers... Feeling the weight of the last section slip away. Knock on the door, it's our long lost friend Manchurian (aka Patrick) and the rest of the "PRR" in tow. We started with some if these guys at the border back on April 20th and hadn't really see then since! It was quite the reunion - even had dinner together.
Jacuzzi ended the night- perfection.
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