I took a zero day in Wrightwood for two main reasons one I shipped my ice axe forward from Banning after climbing up and over Mt San Jacinto thinking I would only need it for Baden Powell and then the sierras. Reason two is I got here on Saturday and the post office was closed so Seven and I decided to rent a cabin for the weekend. We saw rennaisance signed the water cache book hours before we did. So I texted him to see if he wanted to chip in on it. He said absolutely and I sent him the address to swing by.
I get dropped off at the Mountain hardware store by a nice guy who picked me up off the highway. It was a 4 block walk uphill to the cabin I rented. It was a nice reminder the miles still tick up and my lungs burn at altitude even off trail.
On the way there I see a sign pointing towards the Veterans Memorial and as I continue to walk I see a second sign that says “donated by a community who cares.” I think this is a good spot for a break.
I stop at the veterans memorial and pay my respects. A couple posts ago I joked my grandfather would lecture my dad about keeping his feet clean and dry. Marine mentality, probably kept him alive back then. Now keeping him in mind and my best friends back home, and even Rennaisance who’s a Navy vet or Blueprint from the Air force. I sit at the memorial for 20 minutes of silence and think about what those guys saw and what the have been through. The horror keeps my motivation level in check to say nothing I ever experience on this trail will trump those guys years overseas.
As Im sitting there Seven texts me “UV index is 8 bud, sunblock up.” He doesn’t know I’m basically at the house already. In 20 minutes im showering off days worth of sunblock. After one more block and I arrive at the house, fumble with the door code and lock and then walk in. It’s a nice spot, reminds me of the A frame in NH I spent my 20s in. I absolutely loved that place. Biggest regret of my life, letting my girlfriend at the time talk me out of buying that house. “Wtf do you want to live in NH for, it’s gross?” That house is now worth 2 million dollars. What an idiot she was and me for listening. But this one in Wrightwood, for 120$ a night it’s absolutely perfect.
After a much needed shower I jumped into the house supplied pajamas. It was a wild selection of pink pajamas. I texted the homeowner that our laundry was ready to be picked up and I left it on the front porch as instructed. I then waited for it to come back. It was a nice chill hour wait, we planned the next few days of fire closures, hung around the living room on the couch and for once just relaxed and watched TV.
Halfway through a movie the owner texts me “Laundries all done and on the front porch.”
Solid- they say they’ve never lost a sock. We got everything back nice and clean with 21 dryer sheets. We probably needed everyone one of them. I haven’t worn deodorant in over two months, done laundry in 14 days, showered in 5 days and last week I think I went like 4 or 5 days without washing my hands. McDonald’s was the first time they got washed in a while. Yikes.
After getting dressed Seven says “mate I’m not going anywhere my feet are wrecked pick me up some alcohol.” Rodger that. Rennaisance and I head out for a small mission. Two pizzas, beer, wine, vodka, Gatorade a Sprite and some snacks. We will fully shop later, while checking out we run into Tardy the 18 year old from Belgium. I tell him to leave the store because if they ID all of us they won’t let me buy beer with him. Kids 18, he can drink in his home country, could go to war for our country, and I could literally be his dad. But luckily he leaves and waits outside and they only card me and Rennaisance who’s also 35.
Liquids and now snacks harvested we are off to The Yodeler where I place an order for 2 pizzas one BBQ chicken and one pepperoni, a burger, and a side of deep fried pickles for the boys and we’re moving back toward the house. I almost hit the door and the bartender yells over “PCT HIKER??” Yes sir what’s up?
Rennaisance starts chatting it up with the guy and now we’re getting info from the locals. Everyone’s extremely friendly and wondering what to do about the fire closure. We tell them same here we need to look at a dozen maps and really figure it out. I drop him my blog website and tell him check it in a week we’ll let you know what we end up doing.
After grabbing our food it’s back to the house to relax and start packing up. On the way back I try to pick up some post cards. The store was very cute, had a lot of stuff but post cards were 4$ a piece. Let that sink in when I usually send 5-10 per town. Usually they are 4 for 5$. I decide to skip sending any post cards from Wrightwood. Sorry fans.
We make it back to the house and everyone plays chess, sits around the fire and just enjoys it. It’s not our usual night and anyone who’s been in a cabin could imagine how our night went.
I retire to my own room and go through my stuff, it’s Sunday so I jump on my phone and check my finances and important stuff back home, did my car payment go through? Is my boat in summer storage yet? Are my taxes all set? Did I pay my “mandatory in Massachusetts’s” health insurance bill or they’ll fine me later? This is honestly something I’ve been avoiding out here….. Real life tasks and first world problems. I look at the receipt for my resupply at around 130$ and say I’m officially ready to move on from Wrightwood. Granted I did buy a pair of gaiters finally.
Although Wrightwood is a lovely town, the people were amazing and I loved the vibe, I think it was the most expensive town we’ve stayed in yet. Gala Apple price index 2.79$ per pound.
Tomorrow AM I hit the post office at 8:45AM sharp to pick up my ice axe and then jump a hitch back onto trail at Fenner Conservation Camp
The Pacific Crest Trail 