Start: 0700 - Idyllwild Inn
End: 1800 -  Idyllwild Inn
Miles (today) - 0
Miles (cumulative) - 182
 
What do you do when the post office is closed and you can't pick up your resupply package?  You take a zero (no hiking/no miles logged).  We had originally planned on doing a nero here; however, since we are a few days ahead of schedule, our Saturday arrival means waiting until Monday for the post office to reopen.  I can't say I'm sad about taking a day off (this is a great opportunity for my blisters to heal and for my body to rest) but, similar to how I felt in Warner Springs, I'm anxious to get back on the trail.  I cannot explain why - I mean, out on the trail I can't eat fresh fruit and vegetables (unless Trail Angels supply them), we smell, it's often cold, and it's difficult (physically and mentally)... But sitting here in front of the warm fireplace makes me feel lazy.  

We explored the town a little (Nick needed new socks) and it was crazy how many familiar faces we ran into.  Even though I'm in a town I've never been to before I couldn't go anywhere without seeing someone I 'knew' - very surreal (I even ran into Chelsea and Alex at the grocery store).

I wanted to get my hair cut but all the salons were either closed or booked.  I'm disappointed (my hair is in desperate need of a trim) but I think Nick is secretly pleased.  Instead of a haircut, I took a much needed nap instead.  Nick woke me up in time for us to see a 1400 movie.  At the theater we met up with Bamboo and his wife, Shaman, Mash, and Meredith (we all sat in the same row).  The only movie playing was the Captain America one - it was ok but my time would probably have been better spent taking a longer nap.  (However, the nerd in me WAS excited to see the trailer for the new Star Trek movie.). The most memorable part of the movie was when Captain America was holding on to a helicopter with one arm and the edge of a building with the other - Meredith and I looked over at each other and burst out laughing at the ridiculousness.  

After the movie, while we were chatting outside the theater, Orange Blossom and Man-U Mike showed up to say hello. Like I said, people we 'know' were everywhere.  :)

The rest of the day was spent planning for the possible trail closure ahead.  It sounds like most people are going to simply shuttle/hitch around the closure (if it's still closed when we get there).  Nick and I will NOT be doing this - we want to hike a continuous footpath from Mexico to Canada and don't want to skip miles out of convenience or merely because they aren't PCT miles.  As they say, HYOH (hike your own hike).  Some hikers only want to do PCT miles and don't care about a continuous footpath, others (like us) do.  No judgments (ok, no serious judgments - Nick was giving some of them a hard time about it today).  It does make me a little sad, though - if most of the people we've met shuttle or hitch ahead, chances are high we won't see them again. 🙁 On the flip side, who knows who we have yet to meet!