The Snow Detour

Day 49 - 51

Lone Pine - Chester

Life is good again.   Warm soft bed,  full bellies, and 2 showers later seven hikers sit on a small bus heading North.  The tall and rugged Sierra's to our West, Raw Hide western music blaring from the speakers, and a dog sitting in a seat in front of us looking out the window.  

6 hours to Reno on 395.  

We quickly regrouped after getting to town.  It's hard to describe, but when you put your backpack on at the Mexico border, all you know is that you are walking North.  Your only care is water, food, and a place to sleep.  Shadow says that this is the way humans were meant to live and I agree.  When you are on the trail all of society's borders fall.  It doesn't matter what you do for work,  how big your house is, or the brand of your clothes.  

Originally we had planned to stay in the RV for a few weeks while the snow melts, but now that we are in prime hiking shape, we don't want to take time off.  Instead we have decided to take a bus 600 miles North and hike back South.  Then take the same bus 600 miles North and continue hiking to the Canadian border.  Hopefully this will give the snow in the mountains time to melt.  The snow is beautiful up here, but we would like to enjoy it without wearing all the clothes we carry.  

Lone Pine, CA is the town Coach, Shadow, and I concocted this plan.  The town is famous for over 300 movies filmed here.  We even stayed at the Dow Villa where John Wayne spent time while filming in the Alabama Hills. 

Other hikers have been arriving into town after word has traveled about the weather.  Our plan seems to have been making the rounds and 2 others have joined us.  Uncle Bob, who will ride up with us, then go North to Canada instead of South and Beavers, a ex-coffee shop owner from Oklahoma with shin splints.  This disruption in the hike seems to breaks hiker's concentration or focus.  We look like a group of confused ants wandering in circles between the restaurants and western gift shops in town and have heard that many hikers are leaving the trail for good.

The bus takes us through Reno so of course it was an easy decision to take advantage of the Patagonia Outlet and Sierra Trading Post stores.  Along with a day at the all-you-can-eat casino buffet.  Another two days off the trail to shop and gorge ourselves couldn't hurt.