July 19th
We had breakfast at the grocery store of coffee, juice, donuts, yogurt and fresh fruit. Before leaving town we stopped at the community center to get on the internet, such opportunities are becoming more scarce. Meadow Mary was already there and we got caught up on trail news from all the hikers around Billy Goat who is just a few days ahead. Meadow Mary gave us a ride back to the trail and we were finally under way shortly after noon, later than we had wanted which means that again we will be pushing hard and pushing dark to get in the miles we need to be able to get into Old Station on Tues, not Wed.
Highway 36, or somewhere just north of it is the halfway mark, depending on how you count the miles with this years re-routes. It’s a psychologically significant event, as can now start counting down less miles to go than the miles we have done. The Carrot prefers to see this as if we have halfway left to GO, to experience, where as I am quite satisfied that we are halfway DONE and accomplished.
The trail and terrain continues their rolling, relatively viewless ways. We stop for a late lunch at the Feather River, a nice place for a swim but we refrain. The day is not as hot as it has been, only low 80s and with cloud cover and a breeze our shaded lunch spot is really quite cool already. Two Western Tanagers flit through the nearby trees. Clouds continue to roll in and threaten to form into thunderheads but they never quite do.
In the late afternoon we enter Lassen Park and pass by a dilapidated trail register box. So far I don’t think we have seen a single trail register on Federal land that has been maintained. They all appear to have fallen into disuse, probably victims of budget cuts. This makes it hard to know who is ahead, who passed through on or day off in Chester. We see no other northbound hikers although we know they are out there. We know because we do run into a southbound section hiker “Just Mel” who tells us of all the hikers he has seen, the usual suspects for the most part.
From the sulfurous smell we know that Lassen is still an area of geothermal activity. We stop and admire the grey clay/mud bubbling up in Boiling Lake. Near Drakesbad Guest Ranch the trail takes an official detour. A bridge ahead is out and so our route swings around and passes right through the guest ranch. Curious to see more and hoping for hospitality we stop and ask to fill water bottles. We stay for dinner, a lovely three course affair: tomato basil bisque, roast pork loin with a mushroom demi glaze, mashed potatoes, portabella mushroom crusted with parmesan cheese a shortcake covered with fruit medley and coffee along with some great crusty bread and a couple of beers, all a nicely discounted price. The managers Billie and Ed are helpful to thru hikers and fix us a bag of bread and fruit to go and then invite us to shower and soak in the outdoor hot springs pool. Even though it getting late and this will limit our miles, its an offer we can’t refuse. The hot spring pool felt relaxing and comfortable. As thorough as the shower had been I can’t help but think that the residual trail dust on my legs must be adding to the mineral content of the water.
The scale at the bathhouse says I’ve lost 20 pound since starting the trail in April, but this is after the big dinner and after a full day off in Chester where eating was our main goal. My guess is that 2 days ago it would have been more like 25 pounds.
So we soak and sigh until almost dark and then waddle down the road to crash at the nearby campground.
