Social Days

Day 12

Immediately on waking, I checked the time. The hotel’s continental breakfast had begun so  I went downstairs to get a hot cup of coffee. What luxury! We left the hotel by 8:30 am in order to reach the central post office when it opened. There was already a line, which I joined, and 20 or so minutes later I had my second resupply box in hand. I hurriedly ate a box treat while I incorporated the 2.5 days food and a couple other items.

Only 1.6 miles later, we were on the blue line, watching for AZT symbols worked into the city landscape. Paul stopped to get a soda and I ate a second box treat – Spicy Queso Popcorners – so yummy! Soon the paved path gave way to dirt and pine trees. We had escaped the city! Another 4.5 miles and the urban route met the equestrian route, the AZT rejoining into one.

There were a couple cool rock outcroppings amongst the pines. White, fluffy clouds in the blue sky caught my attention. My body felt strong following yesterday’s afternoon of rest. After lunch, I started a new audiobook, one for my book club called “Unlikely Animals”.

In the afternoon, I saw cows, one deer, and several fluffy tailed squirrels. We got water from a cache of jugs roped around a tree. Long & slender Lake Mary came into view and we paralleled the shore for a couple miles, eventually taking a side trail that descended 300 ft. to Lakeview Campground. The camp host, Andy, let us stay for free since we were on the AZT. Luxuries included a picnic table, water, and pit toilet access.

Day 13

Paul has taken on my habit of eating breakfast in his tent. Woohoo! He still beats me out of camp though. Shortly after I rejoined the AZT, I put on my sunglasses and opened my sun umbrella. The terrain was rocky dirt roads and scattered trees. I passed shallow Horse Lake and saw a lot of grazing cows. After a couple hours, I spotted Paul lying by a water cache. There wasn’t much left, but I topped off my partially empty liter and ate a snack.

Back on trail, I passed through a cluster of fire-singed pines surrounded by a brilliant red plant. It was a beautiful contrast.

Mid-afternoon the trail wound directly through a campground. There was a water spigot and I refilled both my bottles! Another 4.5 miles later and we reached the turnoff to Mormon Lake. It was slightly over a mile into the small town, founded by Brigham Young, as I suspected. I went straight to the country store and picked up my third resupply box. (Yes, I got one only yesterday, but I had planned to hike the red line out of Flagstaff and it was longer.)

As I sat on the porch, sorting my resupply, a thru hiker said hello. Wait, what?! Besides Paul, I hadn’t seen another thru hiker since the North Rim. Her name was Snug Bug and she was hiking with her partner, The Captain. I went to the laundromat to charge and she was doing laundry so we chatted for ~30 minutes.

From the chat, I realized that the West Fire was north, not south, of Pine. If there is no walk-around, Paul & I need to figure out a ride. He posted a query to Facebook, looking for ideas. Anyway, we hurriedly packed and headed out of town, back to the trail junction. We made it right at dusk and quickly erected our tents in a flat campsite.

P.S. I’ve been super eager to see a snake and, in town, I spotted a Garter Snake sunning on a sidewalk.

Day 14

After rushing the past two days, I proposed a 17 mile day and Paul agreed. Two miles along, we were gathering water from a rather clear tank when I spotted two backpackers. They came over to chat and were revealed as two out & back section hikers, Gay & Dennis, from a small town near Sedona. We talked about gear, base weight, resupplies, and the PNW. They also told us how they accidentally entered the West Fire area, due to a lack of signage, and were turned around by hotshots.

It was overcast most of the day, which made for good hiking weather. At lunch, Paul and I had an interesting discussion about trench warfare. I’d recently seen “All Quiet on the Western Front” and Paul knew the particulars of the Australia’s involvement on the British side. He served a peacetime stint in the Australian army.

In the afternoon, the trail passed several water tanks. It was nice to get our choice of water. We avoided those that looked like chocolate milk and settled on Bargaman Park Tank. In general, the tanks are too shallow to scoop with a one liter bladder, as it stirs up sediment. And you could keep moving along the shore, but there’s usually very few non-muddy or vegetation-free access points. Thus a plastic bag scoop works best. You dip that, pour it into mesh pulled over your bladder, and filter the result.

Due to the day’s chill pace, I had time after filtering to gaze upon the tank. Ripples broke the surface as a creature nipped at insects, a blue jay hopped along a log, and a dragonfly flew by. It was so peaceful. Later, I sat on a rock near my tent, rinsed a clothing item, and watched cows grazing. This is what I am out here to do after all, immerse myself in the wonders of the outdoors.

Day 15

This time it was cows lowing and coyotes howling in the night. Despite all that, I slept well. Which was good because my period started, I had a bloody nose during breakfast, and by 9:15 am I’d dug three cat-holes. I took it all in stride (haha) and kept hiking. Pretty soon I was playing with a tarantula – with a stick, not my finger – and texting a friend that “The AZT is close to my heart and I’m so happy to be on it.”

When still in my tent, I’d seen two people pass by on the trail. I went through one of the cool metal gates and found them taking a break. It was Snug Bug & The Captain so I got to meet him. We chatted for a short time, then we all got moving. Less than a mile later, I came upon Paul waiting for me by a tiny water cache. I stopped to chat and top off bottles; the other two passed us.

Half past noon, we reached Homestead Tank, which looked like chocolate milk, yet filtered clear and tasted fine. Paul and I took a lunch break and it happened that Snug Bug & The Captain were there too. We all sat in a circle under the shade of a large tree and told trail stories. The Captain had hiked the AT and CDT and the two of them had hiked The Long Trail together. What a fun lunch break!

An hour or so later, a white sign announced a prescribed burn detour. It ended up adding 1.4 miles to our day, however it also took us by a ranger station with a water spigot. A couple miles later, we arrived at Blue Ridge Campground. Rudy, the camp host, said it was closed for the season, yet we could stay. A pit toilet, welcome news while on my period!

Paul and I set up our tents in adjacent sites, then I joined him at his picnic table for dinner. We found a detour route beginning at FR 300, 14 miles away, but the water source prior to the road walk was unconfirmed. I felt good about it based on comments from last year. Paul was less sure and decided he’d walk to the next road crossing and hitch to Pine. Mid-dinner Snug Bug & The Captain hiked into camp. They planned to hike the detour and felt the water source was dependable. Paul said he’d think on it overnight.

Paul and I said goodbyes in case we don’t see each other again this trail. He’s been a great hiking buddy! I was a little sad to part ways.