Day 16: Arrive in Big Bear

Miles hiked: .4

Mile marker: 226.1

Today is the first day that I have been ready before anyone else. The only problem is that it’s quite cold outside. Rafiki hears me crinkling around in my tent, so he’s already awake as I’m packing the last items of my bag.

He’s a kind soul, so he lets me borrow the edge of his sleeping bag while we wait to walk down to the highway.

Tom picks us up at 7:00 in a 1981 Ford 350 with a bench seat in the back that we pile in with Rafiki in the front.

Tom tells us he was needing to go into town for the grocery store, so it’s easy for him to give hikers a ride.

He drops us off at Grizzly Manor Cafe, where I enjoy a weak coffee as the waitress brings the other customers pancakes the size of a pie. In the bathroom, the tank isn’t filling with water, for some reason. I take the tank lid off and cup my hands under the water faucet a few times to transfer into the water tank. The toilet flushes.

It worked! I feel a little proud for my quick brain.

We get hash browns, eggs, sausage, sourdough toast, and pancakes. Although, both Denis and Rafiki get chocolate chip pancakes. My least favorite!

But, it was a much needed meal after such a hard week!

Now en route to the outfitter for some new shorts, a man playing a big horn stops us to offer us a free coffee.

“My name is Big Horn, named for playing my big horn. We love thru hikers! We’ll get you a free coffee!”

We continue on for a moment, following Dad, who didn’t sleep well last night and is quite tired.

“Coffee, Dad?”

“You can go. We have time!” Dad says.

“Riggs, there, will get you set up,” Big Horn says.

As if my three cups of coffee wasn’t enough this morning, I accept the offer of free one. Riggs is a blonde barista wearing camouflage pants whose mom had a stint living in Goldsboro — no way!

“Goldsboro is so hick,” I laugh.

Riggs laughs at that. A lot of the towns in North Carolina are quite southern.

Big Horn plays us a song and lets Denis play too! He did give Denis a new mouthpiece, though. I was definitely concerned about that.

Dad chats with Big Horn while Rafiki, Denis, and I go into the coffee shop. It’s cabin themed, has cute merchandise, and the coffee smells amazing!

We order some drip coffees.

“Let me know if that’s too sweet!” Riggs says to me.

“Don’t worry! It’s not. I’m from North Carolina!”

Riggs makes a special coffee for Rafiki, who doesn’t typically drink that form of caffeine.

I was a little jealous.

Big Bear Coffee Roasting Company was definitely a good stop!

We walk another mile to the outfitter store, where I get some new shorts, since my other ones are being slightly problematic due to some big seams.

Dad’s toe still needs some assistance, so he goes to the doctor while Rafiki, Denis, and I loot some hiker boxes, drop by a marina — Denis wants a boat ride — and ultimately return to the coffee shop. I get to chat with my mom for a while they do some extra looting.

I’m ready to get to the air bnb. It doesn’t feel restful to wait around, but we can’t grocery shop until our cold things have a fridge to go to.

Dad is at CVS now, so we grab an Uber from a tough looking guy in a little Hundai Sonata.

We’re here to replenish our first aid kits. I also get a small smart water bottle with a flip cap — finally! I’ve been wanting this! I couldn’t get one near Cleef at the start of the trip because they didn’t have any, and my current bottle cap is either dirty or there is something growing in there.

We go to Grocery Outlet next. It’s always a little tricky knowing what to get. At least I feel less overwhelmed than last time I needed a food resupply!

Denis keeps coming around to ask questions about how much food to get. He wants to get two dozen eggs and two bags of potatoes.

“Is this good?” he asks, holding a bag of tater tots.

“Mm, use the potatoes O’Brien. They’re better. And just one bag. We don’t want to have too much leftovers.”

I finish checking out and meet Dad outside. His toe is in a lot of pain, and he’s ready to get to the air bnb. I give Denis a call to hurry him up, and soon we’re all in another Uber — this I had to redownload.

The AirBnB is cozy as we settle in. Rafiki went to another store, Vons, so he’ll be here in a bit. I give Dad the master bedroom — since he plans the town stays and has a hurt toe — Denis and Rafiki the beds — since I haven’t had a couch or floor yet — and I will sleep on the couch.

I hang up my sleeping bag and mat in Dad’s closet, empty my trash and pack, and get my laundry together.

“I’m going to take a shower. Anyone need the bathroom?” I ask.

No one does. I am well aware that after my shower in Julian, Dad walked in the bathroom and said, “It’s steamy in here!”

And in Idyllwild, Denis walked into the bathroom after my shower with the same comment.

The shower is amazing. It’s the first shower I’ve had on trail where I truly feel like I appreciate it. The hot water — so comforting.

Of course, I take a long, hot shower. After me, Rafiki’s shower goes lukewarm halfway through.

I keep trying to offer the boys first showers, but I guess they’re too polite.

We go to a place called Tropicali for dinner. Poke bowls! It is so tasty, a rice bowl with cucumber, special sauce, and raw tuna. So, so amazing.

Tropicali is a trippy Hawaiian experience of a restaurant. It’s dimly lit with pirate and bear exhibitions and tiki cups around the restaurant. The two young guys call out the food orders in pirate-styled accents, saying, “Captain Denis, your order is ready!”

The sunset is beautiful here as we finish up and walk home.

I snack on some Oreos and chat with everyone before Dad files off to bed. Denis and Rafiki show me this really silly video on YouTube, something about 55 BURGERS 55 HOT DOGS 55 MILKSHAKES… it’s about a guy who can’t pay it forward. They think it’s hilarious.

Soon, I’m getting ready for bed on my couch and it’s not long before I fall asleep. It’s been a long day. Until next time!

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