Day 7: Zero day in Julian

This day started out discouraging. Last night, and continuing to this morning, I debated for a long while whether to take a zero day today or not. Rolled it around in my head every time I woke to the wind screaming outside and rattling the tent, obsessively planned out scenarios on Google sheets when dawn broke. Physically, my ankle still felt loaded in the morning, which suggested taking a zero. Logistically, things were more complicated. I have a resupply box--two, in fact--being delivered to the Warner Springs post office. Problem is, Warner Springs is two and a half days away, and the post office there closes at 1:30pm on Saturdays. So if I wanted to pick up the boxes on Saturday, rather than having to wait all the way to Monday, I have to start hiking out *today*. Or else I'll effectively have two zero days: not the most auspicious start.

And emotionally, I felt like I should be out there, I should be hiking. Not taking time off! Especially this early on; it seemed unconscionable.

So, it was with a heavy heart that I finally decided to take the zero, and waited for the office to open up to see if I could at least find a cabin (instead of having to camp out for the night again). Wandering around the grounds, though, I bumped into Ghost, and laid out my dilemma. He immediately cut through it: why don't you want to take a zero?, he asked. I hemmed and hawed about "I should be out there" and he put me straight. If you're hurt, you need to rest and recover, he said, and you need to do it now before it gets worse. Because there's only gonna be less chance to do so later on. So take the zero, take two if you need it, especially here in the beginning. The body is adjusting: if it needs the rest, take it. 

I admit, after the straight-talk pep-talk, I did feel better about my decision.

So today was a zero day, and since there's no hot food here at Stagecoach (due to COVID, otherwise, I hear their breakfasts are very good) I hitched a ride up to Julian to eat and do some shopping. Waiting for a cabin to open up at the office (which I eventually got, thank goodness), I talked with a group of hikers: Dean, Columbia, Jake, Matt, Kodiac, more whose names I can't remember. Turns out they were also taking a zero, so I felt even more better. They got a ride into town, I got a cabin, then got a ride from Professor--another legendary trail angel in these parts--who picked up a couple of other hikers as we passed Scissors.

Stagecoach is down here in the desert valley, whereas Julian is up there in the mountains, and the difference showed. Whereas it was hot and dry and windy down here, up there it was fog so thick you couldn't see round the corner. Luckily I was aware of this from my brief sojourn up yesterday, so made sure to bring along an extra jacket or two to keep out the cold. But I went in, bought some food due to a new itinerary plan (see below), got the free pie at Mom's (see below), and brought back some dinner. For the ride back, got a ride with Rayangel, who basically drives a shuttle between Julian, Scissors, and Stagecoach (if necessary) on behalf of 2 Foot Adventures, the PCT Gear Shop up in Julian. It's strange: this time around, hitching rides, didn't feel out of sorts at all, felt fine. Even felt happy: got to meet Professor and Rayangel, both pretty famous trail angels. My shopping done, came back to Stagecoach, cleaned up some stuff (i.e., shook a lot of sand out) and finished up my zero. 

So far, it feels like my ankle issue has gone from pain to soreness; the latter reduces the severity to the more-desirable category of "recoverable-pain". If that holds up, I just may be able to head out tomorrow morning. If so, going to take a more conservative pace: going to keep it around 15 miles, rather than pushing the 20-mile mark as I did--to my detriment--the past few days. Legs may feel strong, but that's just facade: in reality, they're not there yet. But overall, things are looking up: I learned that other people also take zero days, even this early on, and that's fine, if not recommended (if your body's hurting), I got to go into town, I got free pie, I got good conversation. So, in the end, a good day!

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Some notes:

-- Change in itinerary! This is based on the advice of Ghost . My plan had been to hit Warners Spring (Mile 110), pick up resupply boxes, then continue for 5 days on to the Devil's Slide (Mile 179), where I would divert off the PCT and go into Idyllwild. The problem with that is that you go about halfway up Mount San Jacinto (the first Big Mountain on the trail: it hits 9000 feet) then come back down for Idyllwild. Ghost instead recommended doing all of San Jacinto in one go. In that case, at Paradise Valley Cafe (Mile 150), hitch a ride to Idyllwild to resupply, then come back to PVC and go over Jacinto in one effort. Later in the day, Columbia would advocate the same idea. So I'm going to do it. I'll have my Warner boxes forwarded (i.e., "bounced") up to Idyllwild, go into Julian to get more food for the now longer trek to Paradise Valley Cafe, then plan on doing PVC/Idyllwild for resupply, then shooting over San Jacinto in one go.

-- Mom's is a pie shop in Julian, and if you show them your PCT long-distance permit, you get one slice of pie and a drink on the house. For my part, I got a slice of rhubarb-strawberry, with crumble, two scoops of cinnamon ice cream, and a warm cider. And it was good! It was furthered sweetened by the company: while in line, I saw Tom and Hottashaw at a table, and Tom motioned that I could join them. So I did and we talked and joshed for quite some time. Mostly joing about the trail and its travails. The problems sleeping, Tom's consternation at all these rocks someone's scattered along the trail (although, to be fair, compared to some of the trails I've done on Saturdays, the PCT is remarkably smooth, clear, and well-maintained--Tom didn't want to hear that, though!), the wind these past few days. But also the beauty: one of the reasons Hottashaw picked the PCT over the AT is just the views, the pictures she saw of the PCT: so beautiful. And even though we've yet to get to the Sierras--which many consider the jewel of the PCT--even out here in the desert, the sights are pretty amazing. 

-- So far, Tom and Hottashaw have been traveling slower than me, but I think *their* strategy is *smarter*: for all my supposed "speed", I'm no further along than them, *and* I have sore ankles to show for it! So when I get back on the trail, for the first few days I'm going to follow their example: go for around 15 miles a day, rather than pushing for 20. Much as I like 20, round number and all, body's just not ready for that yet.