5/30/2023
Section: Mile post 179.4 to 179.4
Distance: 0.00 Miles
Moving Time: 00:00 hrs
Elevation Gain: 0 ft
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Amanda and I deliberated hard on this one in the days leading up to Idylwild. You get in this groove on the trail and, weirdly enough, taking a zero day almost becomes difficult. You have made friends, you are in a little trail family and if you stop and the others don’t you might not see them again. So the decision was a tough one but given the brutal climb out of the Pines-to-Paradise highway to get to Idylwild and the fact that many of the folks we were hiking with were also electing to do a zero day we decided to take one as well.
We tried to sleep in on this Tuesday Zero day but only managed to make it to about 7 am. We had both passed out around 8 the night before, despite trying to get some reading in, so the early morning wasn’t really a surprise.
We elected to go get breakfast at the Red Kettle which was just a few blocks into town. Amanda got some French Toast and I got a decent waffle with a half order of biscuits and gravey on the side. As we ate we saw Joe and Jane walk by and they eventually came back for breakfast and sat next to us. We talked for a long time about the previous day, plans for the next few days and so on. Joe and Jane were taking a Nero and so were going to leave that same day in the evening. As we sat and chatted Phillip texted me and said he was coming as well. He showed up about 10 minutes later and sat at an adjacent table. Amanda and I eventually finished up and the four of us decided it would be best to give up our table for someone else to be seated. We said goodbye to them and Phillip and headed to the post office - the first of many chores.
I had ordered a cornucopia of items from REI to the Idylwild Post Office including, Micro Spikes, a new water bladder to replace the one that finally failed on me, and some light gaiters for my Hokas. In addition, my parents had sent us our ice axes as well as some ramens and Trader Joe’s goodies. Amanda had had less luck getting Amazon to send some electrolytes as a general delivery to the post office so we did not get those, unfortunately. LMNT electrolytes are the best - closest thing to Gatoraid we have been able to find.
Like kids on Christmas, we took our packages home and excitedly opened them, arranging our goodies next to our gear. After cleaning up the packaging we made a list of things we needed for resupply and headed back into Idyllwild. We started with the local gear shop where Amanda replaced the pants she had started with but now had a giant hole in the butt with a new pair. I got a set of new liner socks to replace the ones that I had had for about 10 years and were now full of holes themselves. I also tried to find something to replace the torn eyelet on my Hoka Speedgoats but had no luck there. From the gear shop we went looking for postcards. We visited a few of the local shops to put together a good collection of Idyllwild post cards and stickers. As we stepped outside we both realized that we were, miraculously, hungrey again. Seeing Jane and Joe at a nearby ice cream shoppe we asked if they had any suggestions for lunch. They mentioned a Mexican restaurant up the street called La Casita. We thanked them and wished them luck on their short hike that night before heading up the road. On the way we ran into Phillip again and he said he was headed for a post lunch beer at the Idylwild Brewery in an hour or so and I agreed to join him.
At the restaurant we sat outside, enjoying the lovely spring day. Amanda ordered a burrito and i got some of the best Enchilada Verde’s i have ever had. We talked to an older couple there while we ate about the PCT. They were very curious about all the general things - how did we resupply, where did we start from, how long was it going to take, etc? We happily answered their questions until they left and then finished our meal.
After lunch I went to back to the Idylwild brewery and met up with Phillip and another guy named Martin from London. We talked for about an hour until Amanda rejoined from her writing frenzy. At lunch i had coordinated a pick-up from the hotel the next morning and i offered Martin and Phillip a spot. Phillip said yes but Martin was not going to receive his package at the post office in time and was going to be waylaid in Idylwild for another day so he declined. We paid for our beers and Phillip, Amanda and I headed across the street to stock up on groceries.
The Idylwild market was massively picked through, so we had heard, because of the hikers and we found that to be very true. I tried to find Phillip grits because I had been raving about them at the brewery but could only find a bulk box of them so said we would have to try again in Big Bear. Amanda and I found several goodies, including Tillamook Sharp Cheddar cheese before I left, while she was checking out, to go send a few more things back to my parents in Corvallis.
Amanda and I rendezvoused back at the cabin and I went outside to pack up some of the things I had left out to dry. Just as I was folding up the tent the Swiss Family Robinsons came around the corner looking tired but in good spirits. It turns out they had taken a day off in Palm Springs and were just getting into Idyllwild. We talked for a while and Amanda gave the two kids some Goldfish Crackers. As they left I got a text from Phillip saying that a bunch of hikers were getting together at the local Italian restaurant and asking if Amanda and I wanted to come. We said yes and spent the time between getting everything packed for the early start the next morning.
At 6 we arrived at Ferro, the Italian restaurant of Idylwild, and were seated at a large table with about 12 other people. There were Jason and Lorena from Knoxville, the two Kiwis - Vicky and Julien, the three guys that had passed us two days before on the first stage out of the Pines-to-Palms highway, Phillip and the two German Sisters - Charlie and Sophie. We talked and ate until about 8:30 when the group disbanded to get things ready for the next day.
Back at the cabin I desperately tried to get caught up on my blog but sleep could not be put off any longer and I forfeited after two days’ narrative and headed to bed.
