Day 89: Rester in Chester
Date: Sun 7/15
PCT Start Mile: NA
PCT End Mile: NA
PCT Mileage for Day: 0
Total PCT Mileage: 1331.3
The Highlights: coffee and rest
Early this morning, I heard the very light pitter patter of rain on our tent. Shawn had put the rain fly up last night but hadn’t staked it out since he didn’t know where I’d put the stakes, and I was already sleeping.
Now he quickly hopped out of the tent to stake it out as the rain picked up. We slept for awhile longer, the rain fading out – back to a sprinkle and then over. Short lived. We heard from Squishy later that there was a heavy thunderstorm from 3:30-4:30am where she was camped. Compared to that, we didn’t get much in Chester.
An early trip to the porta-john revealed that it was full to the brim. The joys of being a thru hiker.
Sometime after 7am, we packed up and made our way over the the Kopper Kettle Cafe with Rainman to get breakfast. The best thing about waking up in town is coffee. And hot food. But … coffee…
While we had not originally planned to take a zero in Chester, after arriving a day earlier than planned we basically have to since Shawn ordered a new pair of shoes to the post office here, and – since it’s Sunday – we won’t be able to pick them up until tomorrow morning. So, today we rest. I won’t complain.
Chester is a very small town – the benefit for hikers being that everything is within a block or so. Perfect.
Rainman hit the road (trail) again while we lingered over coffee, somewhat watching the World Cup final, but not paying that much attention. The cafe was about half locals and half hikers.
After breakfast, we went to the grocery store next door to resupply for our next section to Burney Mountain Guest Ranch. Groceries procured, we crossed the street to check into our hotel – a Best Western.
While camping behind the Lutheran Church last night was fine (especially for being free), it was super hot, loud, and bright…. so actually not really all that fine. We were looking forward to better sleep tonight, especially after hiking over 200 miles in 8 days.
And so, once we were finally able to check in, we spent the day cleaning our gear and relaxing. Oh, and showers. Finally took showers. Fresh as a daisy. I also went a couple doors down to the laundromat to wash our clothes. We had just washed them on Thursday night at Caribou Crossroads, but – at the risk of sounding hipster – I spilled Sriracha on my shirt at lunch the other day.
Rainman had made too much food for lunch, so gave Shawn and I a burrito to share. Naturally, I managed to spill it all over myself. So, since I wanted to wash the shirt, we decided to just run a full load. Nothing wrong with being clean… for a day.
Great deal.
If you’re waiting for something exciting to happen on this day, I can only disappoint. We ate an early dinner of pizza next door at the same pub we ate at last night – The Locker Room – followed by some grocery store ice cream – and watched the Tour de France highlights on NBC back at the hotel. Wild stuff.
Tomorrow morning we’ll pick up Shawn’s new shoes and we’ll be back to the trail. On, on to Canada!
