McDonald's

Mission

Apr 30, 2025

4/13/25

Start: 326.4 Chamise

End: 341.9 McDonald's

Trail miles: 15.5

Sleeping system: Airbnb

Total miles: 255.9

Today's ascent: 1955'

We all got up and out early this morning. Skip was out first, then Kiki and Hot Nutz, then me, then the German ladies. I wasn't feeling inclined to walk super fast, so I just chugged along behind everyone. I had a blister on my right heel that started yesterday and wasn't any better today, my feet were killing me and I just didn't have a ton of energy. When I got to the water about 8 miles in, I found a text from Kiki asking if I was okay because I hadn't caught them. That was super sweet, she made my morning. After the water I caught Hot Nutz when he was leaving their lunch spot and asked if he wanted to lead, and he said I should go ahead. I didn't want to hike alone and I didn't want to leave him behind, and I was hurting plenty so we hiked the last 6 miles together. We were very miserable and limping along together, talking about how well matched Skip and Kiki are and that maybe they should go on without us. We were talking about how much fun we could have being trail angels instead of hiking.

We finally limped in to McDonald's, I found Skip & Kiki at the back, walked over to put my pack down, and told Skip I was going to have to hitch to town from there. We had talked about walking two more miles to camp on the PCT, but my feet were done. Skip told me she and Kiki had been looking at Airbnb and they were thinking we should take a week off in Wrightwood. I started crying and nodded my approval. A week off might be long enough to heal so I can keep hiking. Hot Nutz was also very excited about the idea.

I had a regular (large) McFlurry, large fries, and two orders of six McNuggets. SometimesIi feel like I don't have hiker hunger, and sometimes I'm reminded that I used to eat a medium fries for lunch with a snack size McFlurry. I think I'm hungry.

We got an Uber to our house, a delightful 2 bed 1 bath with two twin beds in one room, so Skip and I are sharing that one. We had eaten a lot at McDonald's, so none of us were really hungry for dinner. We showered and laundered and hung out for a bit, and we got to bed at a pretty reasonable time. Tomorrow we're having breakfast with War Paint, Benjamin Button, Spoon and BodyBag. Benjamin Button is getting off the trail. I didn't know him well but Skip hiked with him a bit and wants to see him off.

To adventure and beyond!

Love, Mission