The nice folks at the Community Center offered to do our laundry. When I went into this little side room to inquire about it, the woman said, “Just give me your clothes, and we’ll wash them.” So, not being shy or embarrassed about my body, I just striped them off right there and gave them to her! She didn’t bat an eye. (I haven’t been wearing my shorts much, so they were clean and I quickly put those on. But I was buck naked for a few seconds.)

We had packages to pick up at the Post Office “downtown”. It’s about a mile away, but there is a nice flat trail off to the side of the road for most of it. The part where you walk on the shoulder of the road sucked with all the road kill. Sad. We exploded our packages in the little parking lot and got rid of most of the packaging trash. We started walking back but didn’t get far before one of the kind old ladies from the Community Center drove up and asked us if we wanted a ride back. With full resupply now, of course we said “Yes!”

But then, my 17-year old cousin David has decided to quit the trail. He hadn’t complained about any pain. We could have gone slower, although I’m not sure that would have helped his particular ailment (knee injury from High School sports), but I guess it’s too late to try that now. His father will come pick him up tomorrow. In the meantime he should be fine hanging out with all the hiker trash here in Warner Springs.

Myself, I am loaded up with food, both my food bag and internally, so I’m thinking of hobbling down the trail a few miles this afternoon. This trail isn’t going to hike itself! Since this is supposed to be a zero, I will go snail slow and not very far. Right now I’m taking an Epsom salt footbath, because it’s here, and as soon as the double burger goes down a bit I hope to squeeze in slice of pie from Julien.

It will be interesting to see the difference between hiking alone vs with someone else. If I have any epiphanies, I’ll let you know.

So, I’m planning on four days and four nights to Idyllwild. Should be rolling into town on Sunday for a true zero in a real town!