Episode 28: Day 44-46

Day 44:

So the plan was simple: Wake up, walk a mile, and catch the 8:45am bus into town. 

And I executed the plan perfectly… for a 9:45am bus… but there wasn’t a 9:45am bus. Oops #1 of the day.

So now what? TRAIL ANGEL TO THE RESCUE!

Fortunately, I had the list of Tehachapi Trail Angel’s and the first one I called was willing and able to give me a ride to the holiday inn express. Woohoo! Thanks Trail Angel Rae! BUT, I didn’t have any gas money to give her as is customary… Oops #2.

Got my boxes from the post office across the street and bought all the junk food I could carry at the convenience store. 

Not having cash resulted in my Oops #3… not being able to utilize the coin laundry at the hotel. But I came up with a creative solution; bathtub laundry!

Ended the afternoon with a very enjoyable ukulele session. I’m so happy I have it with me for this journey.

Big ol’ resupply:

Turn the tub around:

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Day 45:

Rest day!

I slept most of the day and when I wasnt sleeping,  I was eating; ice cream, cereal and milk, assorted candy bars, etc.

I did do some reading today as well. I finished Lord of the Flies (decently entertaining, but I don’t really get all the hype) and I read Narcissus and Goldmund, a great book about the struggles between mind and heart. I also read the first short story in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, a book I pulled from the hiker box at hikertown.

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Day 46:

Pack up in the morning and ready to hit the trail! 

Once again, trail angel Rae to the rescue! (And an opportunity for redemption with some gas money).

Yay! Back on trail. Time to make some miles, right? WRONG

About 20 feet of hiking later, I experience crippling pain in my calf. I wasn’t sure if it was a tear or a cramp, but it was horrible.

I sat there and chugged water until the pain was bearable (fortunately there was a water cache nearby). I pushed on for 3 miles and took a long rest in the shade. 

Once the sun let up, I continued hiking, but I didn’t make it too far. 11 miles on the day.

It’s dry out here:

Sunset:

Why I don’t cowboy camp:

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Video:

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Bonus footage:

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