Day 51-52: last day to town! Sometimes these seem like the longest miles because of the anticipation. I can’t wait to get some fresh hot food. You’re so excited and it seems so easy, and it never is. We walked past Bull frog lake, which like most during this time is just frozen over (this is the pic). Kearsarge was pretty gnarly getting up and over. At the first big incline I was feeling really freaking good and thought I saw some footsteps leading up to rocks then cutting across before heading up a little more onto the pass. It was grueling but I enjoyed it today. Those footprints ended up being Deer prints and let me tell ya, they’re way better at walking on steep ice than we are. So thankful for my spikes. Just dug them in step by step and got up pretty quickly. I wish I knew how many feet of climbing this was in such a short distance but it was tough. We finally got to the top then started the long way down. Knowing the entire time down we have to come back up this was not fun. We got done and walked on some flat fields filled with trees before getting to a part that Meg and I struggled with. I think it was this day at least….the guys were ahead at this point but we go pretty slow on side slopes or downhills because we slip a lot. We were right next to a creek and I glissaded down the rest of the hill. Meg went for it too but she started sliding toward the creek….so scary. But luckily she was able to stop herself and get back on the right track. It’s so scary how one little thing could make such a big difference. We finally FINALLY get to a section we can actually see trail!!! TRAIL!! It’s what someone always yells when we actually see it! We started down some switchbacks. And now we’re used to cutting them due to snow so it seemed extra long. Hawkeye and his group literally ran past us just cutting all the switchbacks to race down to the parking lot where we would try to hitch. We get to the lot and there’s a few other hikers, trail magic, and a dope ass couple who was up to hike. The trail magic was from @carrotquinn she wrote a book on her PCT experience. There was bananas and donuts! Heaven. So this couple we sit and chat with them a bit trying to call trail angels for rides and figure something out. It’s always much harder with a group of people obviously. After some point they’re just like screw it we will come back later, they offered to give us a ride to the next nearest town and from there we would try and hitch to Bishop. We crammed in, and that’s so literal. There were 7-8 of us in one vehicle with all of our gear. I was sitting on the floor with my back to the passenger seat and legs up towards the window. While Hefty, and I think Stats, were jammed into the trunk area with all the gear. These beautiful people start driving up this decide they would just take us all the way to Bishop! It’s almost an hour drive!!! This kind of good doing was my favorite part of the trail. People are kind to you for no reason other to just be kind. If you think there is no good in the world anymore please go hike the PCT, your mind will be changed. Then we arrive to Hostel California where we will be staying. $20/night and we all get to just be in one room with a bathroom. Immediately walking in we get a beer! And this place is so sick! Literally I want to go back and work there. There’s art everywhere, kind and beautiful people, instruments to play, books to read, ping pong, outdoor hangout. It’s amazing. And Em, Lou, Freckles, and Tim are here!!! And I got to see my good friend Lake very briefly before he left for Yosemite. A reunion!!! We went to the Brewery to eat and OMG BEST FRIES EVER! I will go back for those. Then for dinner me, Stats, and Meg rode the bikes from the hostel to pizza. After eating we went to get the most obvious thing you do when in town….a big thing of ice cream. Then in the sunset we cruised past Parks and cute homes. It kind of reminded me of home for some reason. The temperature and roaming around town with friends. It’s a good feeling.