The Wonderland Journal

Miles hiked: 3.7

Mile marker: 907.8

My hands are absolutely freezing. I’m rushing to get ready — I pressed the snooze a time or two — and now I’m in a frenzy trying to be ready at 6:15. 

Fortunately the girls are running late too. 

I wear my new gloves for the first time. They work great!

We have a long walk through the woods. It’s a dusty path through tall pine trees. Even though mountains open before us, we’re all ready to get to town. Town day = burgers!

At last we reach a post that holds about a dozen signs pointing in various directions. My favorite is the bottom direction which reads: SHOWERS (MANDATORY)

We immediately hike in and scour the hiker box. Nothing for me, but I snag a look at the various cabin-like buildings around us then head into the little diner for some breakfast. 

Dad recommended the hot chocolate, so I order that with some eggs, sausage, and home fries. 

The hot chocolate is definitely good! It also gives me a slight stomach ache. I had an instant coffee this morning and decided to forgo the diner coffee that has disappointed me at every breakfast spot in California thus far. 

Luxy’s breakfast burrito is very tasty. Moist, too. I’ll be getting that tomorrow. 

We grab the bus to town. We’re taken through windy mountain roads that look out at the forest with fallen trees. 

We’re dropped off at the next stop. The bus driver redirects us, then the lady at that spot redirects us to our next bus. It’s a little confusing, but we make it on the next bus. 

I like the smell in here. 

Not all the smells. 

I don’t know if the urine smell is my kula cloth or the scent of previous passengers. 

Outside of that, the worn seats and smell of oil remind me of when I was in college and got to ride the bus all the time. I guess it just reminds me of those good days in school. 

Luxy stayed back to shower, so Rafiki, Voyager (Savannah), and I go to Vons for a resupply. I was craving olives earlier this trip, so I brush a jar of olives as I reach for my favorite green olives. 

The Kalamata olives I brushed slides off the shelf. I watch the glass jar fall to the concrete ground and shatter. 

Oh boy. 

Rafiki stands there while I fetch an employee. 

“Who broke it?” an employee asks once I return. 

“I did,” I say. 

“It’s no problem,” she says  cheerily, despite her gruff look. “I always ask people and none of them ever say they did it.”

It’s like if you get pulled over. 

Do you know why I’m pulling you over? Officer asks. 

No. No, I don’t. 

I learned that lesson the hard way. 

We have an hour until lunch, so we head to the gear store for new tips on our trekking poles. Rafiki gets some new sunglasses since he forgot his the other day. 

Meanwhile, Savannah Voyager charges her electronics downstairs and around the corner where the bathroom is. 

Soon Luxy sneaks in while I’m not looking to get her trekking pole tips fixed as well. Savannah and I head to the ramen place. Luxy chose this restaurant for lunch since she’s been craving it for a while!

We meet Dad here and I give him a big hug. The table is soon filled with me, Dad, Luxy, Savannah, a hiker named Lydia, Bumper, and Denis. 

The ramen is okay. The noodles have a good consistency but little flavor and the broth is a bit bland, but not bad. 

The check can’t be split up individually, so I grab the check. It’s sort of a disaster from here. I added a tip but didn’t know that there was already an included tip. I wait ten minutes for a refund then Savannah, Luxy and I put our heads together for the math of payment. Some people at the table are being really loud… I don’t want to be negative so I’ll stop writing here. 

But, from now on, I’d like to avoid large group meals at restaurants. 

It eats up a lot of time. 

Savannah and I pick up Rafiki on the road and we go to Dad’s motel to shower. Dad soon joins us. 

My shower took too long so Rafiki’s shower is cut short. 

This day went way too fast. 

We wait at a bus stop for a bit before it picks us up. We don’t have to ride the cut town trolley this time, but we’re on two buses again and finally reach Red’s. 

We eat dinner which is a burger. The German guy on the way here said the potato salad was bad and milkshakes great. It turns out the opposite for me! I’m sad I didn’t get the potato salad and sad for Rafiki because his strawberry milkshake tastes like a weight watcher desert. 

Lucy’s best can is wild: full of Nutella, bread, Brie cheese, Gruyère cheese, three chocolate muffins, chocolates. We only have a two day carry, but hers is awesome. 

Dad waits patiently as the rest of us finish our town chores. 

We set up camp about a quarter mile from the trial. Rafiki, Savannah Voyager and I go to the hot springs. It’s super hot and after half an hour or less I’m sweating and have to get out. 

I get to bed and pass out. What a day!