Day 57; Fri June 22 2007

(Stud) I slept really well last night. It's been warmer the last few days which is a plus and a minus. A plus because it makes sleeping more comfortable and a minus because it doesn't thwart the mosquitos. But we hung our mosquito net from a line tied between 2 trees--and it was pretty effective. It covers from our heads to about our waists and stays in place even if you roll over.

We had a quick 14 mile hike into Reds Meadow today. It was an easy trek--and the small restaurant the was calling..."double cheeseburgers and chocolate milk shakes..come and get it".

The last few miles before getting to Reds Meadow was a burn area with just the burned trunks of the pine trees remaining. The fire occurred in 1992 due to lightning after a 7 yr drought. Only the grasses and low scrubs seem to have come back. A local told us it would take 150 years to recover because of the low amount of rain here.

There is a family owned pack station at Red's Meadow. In addition to providing pack services where they will take you and your gear into the back country on horseback and mule, they also will provide a cook and whatever related services you need. They also have a small grocery (where we resupplied).

We spent much of the day at Red's Meadow--hanging out with Suess, Chickadee and Speedstick (who we first met at Kennedy meadows). Besides buying groceries and eating at their restaurant twice, we took at showers there. They're free and the water comes directly from a hot spring. It was actuaaly too ot to stand directly under.

We left late in the afternoon and stealth camped on the border of Devils Postpile National Monument--which we knew because "Border" signs were stapled to all the trees. Devils Postpile is an interesting rock formation which we thought we would be able to see from the PCT but could not--we'll have to save this for another trip.

Two reminders today that life and death go on in the world even though our isolation often make us detached from events around us. When we got into Red's Meadow, a couple day hiking with their son stopped to chat with us about thru-hiking. The woman was so happy to meet thru-hikers you would have thought we were a celebrity couple. When she found out we were from SC, she told us that 7 or 8 fire fighters had died there while fighting a blaze at a furniture store. She couldn't remember the town.

And on a more personal note, while calling home today, I learned of the passing of my Aunt Pris--my father's oldest sister. Aunt Pris was a super cool aunt who was talented at many things: she was a generous hostess, great cook, talented seamstress and other types of hand work such as knitting and crochet (which she taught me). She was an avid reader and artist--and I am lucky to have one of her paintings--which is a favorite of mine. It was a gift for helping with the book she wrote out my grandfather. She was really fun to shop with, had a great sense of humor and a wonderful laugh. I loved her and she will be missed by all.