Day 26

LA Camping (mile 444.3) to mile 465.6

PCT Miles: 21.3 (34.1km)

Total Miles: 465.6 (745km)

Taking full advantage of having access to running water and a flush toilet, I had a very slow morning. I also wanted to check the general store that opened at 8am: because I got so much food for free yesterday, I thought about extending my next resupply for three more days. For that, though, I needed to find food for one more day either at this store or in 10 miles in a tiny town called Agua Dulce.

The general store was very unimpressive. I bought 2 frozen burritos for breakfast (they had a microwave) and 4 snickers. They also had free coffee for hikers!

Before leaving the campground I swapped my shoes and now I’m officially on my second pair, Two Goats ✌️🐐. It’s very impressive how a new pair of shoes make all the difference. The size (half a size up from my previous one) is perfect.

I arrived at Agua Dulce at 1:30pm and I was starving. Because of the double burrito 🌯🌯 in the morning I didn’t snack anything for 4 hours, but now I was very hungry. There was a Mexican restaurant literally on the PCT. If I had lunch here then I could have snacks for dinner and my food problem regarding the resupply would be solved!

I didn’t realize, but today is Mother’s day here in the US (in Brazil too!). At the Mexican restaurant they were having a all you can eat buffet. Yes, that’s right. Me, a starving hiker, in a all you can eat mexican buffet.

My first plate had 8 quesadillas on it. Plus rice, and beans and peppers and eggs with cheese. I don’t remember the last time I ate so much in a single meal. And that was only the first plate.

I was already fine after eating the first plate, but why not having a second? They had salads and fruits and waffles (?!) and sweets… I ended up having four plates and 1.5 liter of iced tea.

Hiking after that meal in the desert at 30 degrees uphill was an experience that I recommend to anyone. For the first two hours after having lunch I couldn’t even drink water, so full I was. But everything was under control and now that I’m in my tent writing this and seeing in retrospect, I think it was good that I ate a generous amount 😁. I didn’t need to eat dinner so my food is perfect to hike for the next 100 miles without resupplying!

Another snake encounter, some rock views, tunnels and art were also part of this busy day 😊!