Day 42: A personal best

July 16
16 miles

I'm not in a huge hurry today. I decide I'll get into Callahan's in the early afternoon, collect the free beer they give to PCT hikers, take a shower and do my laundry, and then set up my ten on their lawn and wait for dinner to enjoy their all you can eat hiker spaghetti dinner. This all sounds so perfect I can't wait.

On the off chance that Borealis is going to the coast tomorrow, I text him and tell him how far away I am and to let me know when he's leaving. I make my way closer and closer, enjoying some trail magic around mid morning.

I slam a Sprite, having been dreaming about it since I ran into a SoBo hiker the other day who told me about this trail magic. I think about drinking another one, but decide I should save it for the other hikers behind me. I'm almost to town, and then can have anything I want!

By noon I make it to the little rest area, still about 5.5 miles from Callahan's.  I check my phone and see that I have a text from Borealis. He says he's renting the car today, and the guy is picking him up, and can I get there by 1pm? There is no way I can do 5.5 miles in an hour, so I tell him I'm still 2 hours out and to enjoy the coast. He tells me he'll change the pick up time to 1:30pm, if I can make it down in time. I consider my options--a relaxing day at Callahan's, or a sprint to get down there and go to the coast. I remind myself that this trip has become a reminder not to pass up opportunities. I decide to try and make it there in time, and tell him I'm on my way.

I bypass the lunch I was going to eat, slam some water, change out of my sandals into my trail runners, and start booking it. I'm alternating between a run and a fast walk, and I feel the heat of the day beating down on me. I do almost 3 miles in 40 minutes, with an almost 30 pound pack, in the middle of the day. But I'm still not sure if I can make it in time. My legs are sore, especially my right leg, which has been causing my problems lately, and I'm sweating and breathing hard, but soon I get to the little Callahan's sign pointing to a side trail. I take this down the mountain and end up at a little shanty town by some train tracks.

It's a short road walk down the highway to get to Callahan's, and I call Borealis to make sure I've made it in time. He tells me that he couldn't change the pick up time, but that he's coming back to Callahan's to get me, and another hiker we know, Barrel. I just did 5.5 miles in an hour and a half, which is my new personal best!







I walk into Callahan's, sweaty and covered in dirt, and go up to the hiker room to wait with Barrel. When I walk in I see Coughee, a hiker I met in Sierra City, who I never thought I would see again! Turns out he contracted Giardia, and has been in Ashland for 8 days. This is the first day he's feeling better, and we talk him into going to the coast with us. We get a hold of Mountain Goat, and talk her into joining us, as well, and we drive into Ashland to pick her up and do some errands before we head out.





I take a shower in the tiny motel room that MG is sharing with Happy pants, Goat and Shredder, and have to scrape the dirt off of my arms and legs with my finger nails. When the water drains there is a dirt ring around the tub, and I feel simultaneously embarrassed and proud--this is definite proof of my hiker status.

Feeling slightly cleaner, having quickly rinsed out my shirt, and a little less smelly, we all cram into the rented Ford Focus and head on our way! We take quite a few detours to get to the coast, stopping at REI so Borealis can exchange some gear; eating at Chipotle (!!); and getting some booze at the liquor store.

I've decided to get this as my new backpacking tent. It might not be ultralight, but it has room for a party! :)

After our roundabout journey, we finally arrive at a great beach location called Clifford Kampf memorial state park. We are technically in California, 4 miles from the Oregon border, because of the roads we had to take to get here, but it is as beautiful as I imagined.

We set up camp on a grassy spot, overlooking the ocean, and we sit there in awe watching the sun sink into the water. Borealis bought a bottle of his favorite Scotch for $120 (on sale) to celebrate his upcoming birthday, and we all enjoy a nice nip, amazed that this is our life.

We order pizza, and make friends with the 7 year old son of the camp caretakers, Alex Zander (two words), and we spend the next couple of hours hanging out on the beach, watching the sun set, and laughing with Alex. Coughee is great with the kid, and Alex takes an immediate liking back.  I tell him I'm from Minnesota, and he asks if that's why I like to drink Soda, and we laugh and laugh. I hope that if I ever have kids, they are as awesome as this one. He goes back home when it's dark, telling us that his dad will make us breakfast in the morning. He's forgotten all of our trail names, except for Coughee's, and he waves goodbye as he runs home. I don't think we'll see him in the morning, and I think Coughee and I feel sad about not getting to spend more time with this cool little kid.

S'mores are made, beers are drunk, and we stay up late into the night talking and watching the fire. Barrel and I are the last to go to bed. We talk about love and how whether it's possible for humans, who are innately selfish beings, to really love each other, when love is ultimately unselfish. We commiserate that one person always loves more than the other person, and suddenly we realize that we are too drunk to have existential conversations. We head to our tents, and I can't remember the last time I was up past midnight.  I've almost forgotten that earlier today I hiked 16 miles, and I realize what a long and amazing day it's been, and I drift to sleep with the smell of salt and the sound of the Ocean. Maybe I'll move here after the trail.