Zero #5

Date: 6/5/16
Miles: 0
Total Miles: 652.1

Another zero, another day of alternating binges of eating and resting. The closest thing to a semblance of self-control came when, upon eating the first half of a pint of Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream, I put the lid back on and waited 10 minutes before eating the other half. Not exactly the greatest imaginable display of willpower, but it somehow seemed important at the time. The last vestige of a rapidly vanishing sense of civility, perhaps?

Early this morning, XC arrived at the motel after hiking thru the night to catch up and once again our little trail family of four was back together. It had been a long 24 hours for both he and Gazelle, and sleep came easily for everyone.

While Proton, XC, and I lazed the day away, Gazelle spent the majority of it up the road at the local hospital trying to find some answers to what has been plaguing her this past week. After running a number of tests, they ultimately treated her only for dehydration, putting her on an afternoon buffet of multiple IV bags. To her surprise, most of the staff had never heard of the Pacific Crest Trail, something that occurs more frequently than you might expect even in small towns like this where the trail is a mere stone’s throw away. Though she seems to have turned the corner after her day of treatment, she’s decided to stay and take a full day off tomorrow while the rest of us press on towards Kennedy Meadows.

The day was completed by the arrival of Beardoh and Sweet Pea who I haven’t seen since Agua Dulce. Spending the evening with all of them was like reuniting with old friends.