June 22, 2017 (My Birthday!)
Bishop
Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike: Day 48

Sam, his dad and sister picked us up at Onion Valley trailhead with a cold beer and drove us into Bishop, straight to the town brewery to eat lunch. The beer was fantastic and so was the food, and Sam’s dad paid for EVERYTHING. What!

Then we went to the hostel and me and Alex got the last spot, a double bed in a private room. But, because it was the last room and the only option, he gave it to us for the price of a regular room. Then, for our trouble (what! trouble!) he gave each of us a free beer! As we went turned to go check into our room, our trail family popped out from the dining room. A few had gotten a room at a motel a few blocks away, but most of them were staying here at the hostel!

Alex ran to the post office for some secret reason, so I went to the thrift store and Buy Rite (for beer and snacks) with Sonya and Tofu. We found great birthday outfits, plus tequila for good measure. It was a birthday, after all.

Back at the hostel, we had beers and hung out, talked about what to do that night. I had no intention of planning anything. i was so happy just to be in town with friends.

I showered with a shower beer, and when I went back to the room, Alex handed me an envelope. It was full of letters from my family and friends back home. My brother wrote me a letter with some of the nicest things he’s ever said to me, and my parents gave me a card with a dog and a backpack full of beer. They know what I’m doing out here.

What should we do tonight?

Everyone, once I went back to the dining room, was asking me what I wanted to do for dinner. The people at the motel were texting me, too. Rise and Shine told me they got prom dresses. Then someone mentioned that they had a grill at the motel—El Rancho Motel. I thought a grill out and potluck sounded like a wonderful, low-maintenance option.

Alex and I swung by the Natural foods store and got some 100% grass fed meat and condiment supplies. I defrosted and seasoned the burgers with every spice I could find in the cabinet.

We finally left to walk to the motel, a little bit later than most people. Before we left, we took a tequila shot. Me, Sonya, Tofu and Alex, plus two unexpected dudes who were also staying at the hostel—Vice. and. Boathouse. I invited them to the birthday party, and they came along. We could be friends yet.

Surprise!

When we rounded the corner to the motel, everyone in the whole family was there, and they were all wearing prom dresses! Even the guys! It was a potluck prom! There was a table for beer pong, a tower of cupcakes with candles in them, and Sam’s dad working the grill with shish kabobs already coming off ready to eat. The ‘yard’ was decorated in different colored streamers, and for the finishing touch, Sam brought out a speaker and let me DJ. I couldn’t believe it. This was better than any surprise party I could have imagined.

After we played flip cup and ate great food, the candles were lit and everyone sang!

I gave a speech, a rallying cry, and everyone cheered. Then, Alex slipped me my present. He had the McCabe (my dad’s mom’s family) crest made into a patch. The crest is salmon swimming upstream against the current. I made everyone stop what they were doing (again, just moments after they finished the song and my speech), and tell them my family motto ‘Aut Vincere, Aut Mori’.

Victory or Death.

And I followed my family motto with “LET’S GET TO CANADA!”

We all cheered together, and it felt in that moment like nothing would stop us from finishing the trail.

At 9pm we went to the bar and played jukebox music. It was a country bar, and we played almost exclusively rap and r&b. That made for an interesting mix with the crowd of regulars. We danced until we got kicked out, and went home at midnight. What a wonderful birthday.

Everyone was there. My whole trail family. Together. For the last time.

Editor’s Note: Rise, Shine, and Dana got permission from the Motel owners to use the lawn for a party/grill-out, and to decorate the place with streamers. Please represent the hiker community well and follow their good example.