May 20, 2017
Arrastre Creek to Big Bear
Pacific Crests Trail Thru-Hike: Day 16
The nine miles to where we could hitch into Big Bear had me dealing with the consequences of nearly running out of food and supplementing calories with olive oil. To keep it concise, I had to go to the bathroom four times in nine miles. Oil does a good job of, as my dad would put it, "greasing the pipes".
We hiked to the trailhead against a current of humanity participating in a thirteen mile charity hike. The annoyance of pulling over every ten seconds for other humans was cured by free food from the charity walk support team! After chocolate-covered granola bars and fruit we caught a ride into Big Bear Lake and began pillaging the town.
First, a hotel room at the Robin Hood Inn, split with Alex, Cake, and Cake's friend that would be joining him for a few days. Second, collect our package from the post office only to find that they had sent half of our delivery to the post office two hours across town in Big Bear City. Three, get a six pack of beer and harumph about the rude post office clerk. Fourth, soak feet and unpack food resupply while hatching a plan for getting across town to the Big Bear City post office. But here's the catch: the Big Bear City post office only opens for one hour on Saturdays. We didn't know if they would have our package in the first place, if it was lost in the mail, or if it was actually at the Big Bear Lake post office and the clerk just didn't look hard enough. It really wouldn't have been such a painful ordeal if she had been marginally helpful or at least sympathetic. Lady, I just want you to treat me like a human, not a piece of shit, and recognize that anyone would be distraught by a lost package! Or, at least be semi apologetic that someone at your post office sent our package to the wrong post office for no reason, after it had already been here! Ugh.
To deal with my frustration, the logical way to locomote to the Big Bear City post office was by foot. Walking would give me fresh air. I needed to walk off the encounter. We ended up getting to the Big Bear City post office in time, they had our package and were very helpful, and we got on with our day. Hitching a ride sucks here, we quickly found out, so we summoned the only Uber driver in Big Bear and got a ride back to the hotel to continue with our hopefully now-relaxing town day.
We met our trail friends (becoming our trail family) at Big Bear Lake Brewing Company, then headed to dinner for fantastic (even by non-trail standards) Indian food at the Himalayan restaurant.
Ended the day with Saturday Night Live, epsom salt foot soaking and ice cream next to a warm fireplace, with Sam and Colten curled up on the floor with their sleeping pads.
At the Robin Hood Inn - Big Bear, CA