Days 50 & 51 – Double Zero

Trail Miles: 0

Only 4 of us had hiked out the night before, so HH and I headed back to pick up the rest at the trailhead in the morning. We knew it’d be a tight squeeze in the rental so I dropped HH off at the Denny’s in Bishop. We had restocked the trail magic with more beer, chips, bananas and donuts. Everyone was so excited to see it all when I arrived at the trailhead. We squeezed 8 hikers, poles and packs in the rental and headed back to Bishop.

Day 50 was a typical busy resupply day except it was a Sunday so the post offices weren’t open. We stayed in Bishop to shop as I needed some new/replacement equipment: a hat to replace the one I’d left in Kennedy Meadows, new microspikes and a new pair of trail runners. The Altra Timps I’d worn the last 220 Miles were ripping exactly where they had for other hikers. Disappointing, but fortunately the store in Bishop had a pair of the Altra Olympus I wore the first 560 miles. I also picked up another pair of gloves as my fingers still tingled from the cold going over Forester Pass.

Altra Timp Blowout after 220 miles- I’m a fan of Altra, just not the Timps

HH was patient as I ran from store to store. As we drove up the main drag on our way back to Mammoth. I remarked on how many thru-hikers there were in town. HH kidded me about knowing them all, but I really did recognize most of the folks by name. You really get to know the people in your bubble/pace group.

We had a quiet night at the condo. Dinner and laundry. It felt so good and familiar – like being home. I said something about not wanting to leave and how tempting it was. HH reminded me he didn’t marry a quitter and wanted to see me succeed in this quest. I think he’d hood/tie me up and drop me at the trailhead if I don’t go on my own!

Day 51 was quieter – a true zero. I didn’t leave the condo til we went to dinner nearby. HH was my hero, driving all the back to Lone Pine and Bishop to retrieve resupply boxes at the respective post offices, as well as the one in Mammoth Lakes. It gave me a chance to look at the trail ahead and plan when where we can meet up next. It will be only 90 miles up the trail, but with the snow conditions it’ll take 8 or 9 days. Sigh. Am I actually wishing for a heat wave to melt the snow???

What a true zero looks like : updating my blog

A tentative plan