The miracle of rest

Saturday, June 28
Mile 1024, East Carson River

Owl made this sign so we can take cheesey photos by it.. He thought of everything.

I've been in beast mode for so long, pulling pretty big days with no zeros for a couple weeks, that I kind of needed an excuse to do nothing for a day and just heal. Thru-hiking comes with a variety of ailments, from a light cough to aching muscles to sprains and swollen feet. None are debilitating in themselves, but all together they make hiking a chore.

Before I parted from the Vashon crew, who went into Reno, I gave them my deflating air pad to take to REI for repair. That way, I had to wait for them to get back on trail 2 days later. And thus, force myself to zero! So I drank bloody marys with The Hoff, Zone, and T-Bow and watched them leave yesterday. I spent the rest of the day eating out of the hiker box and reading a sappy Nora Roberts novel from the lobby. It was very indulgent and so welcomed.

Today, I could feel the energy of a day's rest. Hitching was a piece of cake, and trail magic was waiting for me at the trailhead! Owl has it dialed: "Sonora Pass Café" is equipped with a WiFi transmitter, chocolate cake, cookies, organic fruit, whipped cream, coffee, beer, a dartboard with a mosquito center, and even a sign you can pose with. Freaking incredible. I spent the better part of the afternoon eating, chatting, blogging, emailing, and waiting for my buddies to roll in from Reno.

And then! I was interviewed by some ladies from NPR who are doing a segment on food in California, but were so curious about the trail that they want to do a separate show on just that. One of the ladies followed me up the trail for a couple miles to really get a feel for what it's like to hike it. So cool! I've been thinking lately about how much I'd love to have some audio recordings of this journey.. Such an underrepresented form of media, but just as poignant as pictures. Maybe I'll start doing some of my own!