Day 65: A Full Day Away
July 4, 2015
Carson Pass – Reno/Tahoe (1078.7)
0 miles today
1123.2 miles total
Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 0 ft, – 0 ft
Zero in Reno/Tahoe
Well we finally did it. We finally took a full day completely away from the PCT. We didn’t hike, ration, plan, or pack. All we did today was hang out with friends, celebrate the Fourth of July with an all-American cookout, and then watch one of the best fireworks shows we’ve ever seen at our favorite little spot…our local Incline Beach. If we wanted a real break from the PCT, this was it. And the best part is, by the end of the night, we actually found ourselves missing the trail and getting a little excited about our hike to Canada that starts the day after tomorrow.
This morning, after a shower (a luxury we sometimes forget that most people take for granted on a daily basis), Pickles, Mama Bear, our friend Shyam, and I all grabbed breakfast at a local cafe and then went shopping for a lunchtime BBQ. I had Mama Bear drop me at Starbucks after the store so I could sneak in some coffee shop time (my favorite indulgence) and also because my friend Laura needed me out of the house for a bit so she could “take care of a few things” (cannot wait for the bridal shower tomorrow!!). By the time I got home around 1pm, many of our friends had made their way over to Laura’s and the food was getting prepared to be put on the barby. We spent the whole afternoon hanging out, eating, watching old home videos from high school, and then soaking in the hot tub. The best part of these get-togethers is that nowadays there are always little kids present to keep us entertained and also wear us all out a bit. We had 3 little munchkins at the party today (ages 3, 1, and 9 months) and they were continuously passed around and cuddled for hours on end.
In the evening, after everyone had pretty much parted ways, Pickles and the crew and I grabbed some dinner and then headed down to the beach. Watching the fireworks at Incline Beach is a hard and fast tradition, but every year people seem to dread the throngs of tourists more and more. Fortunately, we know exactly where to park and where to sit to make the whole experience pretty pain free. We pulled up our chairs on the sand about 30 minutes before the fireworks began and as the energy of thousands of tourists buzzed around us, we reflected on a great day spent with great people, and thought once again of how lucky we are and how excited we’ll be to move back here permanently after the trail.
The stars in the sky and sand under our toes also brought our minds back to the trail and got us a little excited to get back out and keep exploring. We do, after all, have the whole summer off, and can sometimes be convinced that hiking the PCT is actually one long, awesome vacation. With that in mind, tomorrow afternoon we’ll transition back into preparations for that vacation, but until then we’ll stay right here in the present and enjoy every bit of laughter and conversation that comes our way.