Beldon

I got into Beldon with music thumping near a mile out.  I found the Beldon still awake from the night before.  7 AM a bit to early, I waited for the General Store to open.  Ravers walking to and from the main dance area and where they camped.  Some asked how the hike was, others wished me well, or gave congrats thinking I had gone halfway.  Around 8 AM I went inside, asked for my box.  $30 to collect!  okay, either I pay now or I pay later.

I found a few other hikers, hungout with them.  Grabbed chicken fried steak for brunch.  NoBo's have a sense of community Sobo's don't.  Weird breed these NoBo's are.

The music lulled for a while then picked back up.  I hitched to Carbou Crossroads 2 miles away.  Hitch because this is a windy and shoulderless highway.

I got my first laundry done in two weeks.  I started counting clothes.  Sorry Dad, I lost a sock.  Got a shower too.  Swimming in creeks and rivers feel good but, showers top em off.  Tip, always carry the largest towel you can afford to pack, mine's a 10x15 shammy, and an ounce of all purpose soap.  I'm not ashamed to say I've used someone else's scrap bar to save my ounce.

The debate comes as, do I nero today and hike out tomorrow or stay the double night and hike up Monday.  I do have the option of Buck's Lake Alternate to swing by another hiker friendly resort.  Timing, timing is everything at this moment.  How do I land in Tahoe on Aug 14?  Tahoe is expensive to eat and stay.  The tourist looked at me last time as not one of them, of course I'm not one of them, I'm a hiker.

Why do I use hiker and not backpacker? I'm destination bound, a long distance or greater than 150 miles at one time where the main thing is moving. For backpacking I have a destination with activities like fishing, purposeful reading, detours etc and generally the distances are significantly less.