Truckee is a small town stop on the PCT and California Zephyr routes. Since I resupplied in Sierra City I skipped this popular PCT stop. I've taken the CalZephyr probably 5 or 6 times in 20 odd years through this town. The store fronts enticing, if the stop was an hour, it'd be a great jump out place to stretch the legs.
Well I finally got to jump out. After a dip in Lake Tahoe with my hiking clothes, I traveled up here for the night to catch the train home the following afternoon. Which train? Freight rolls constantly, the Zephyr of course, I've counted 5 trains so far today alone.
I ended my PCT L*SH by walking off the trail to the nearest public beach. I waded knee deep then went back to shore and left my pack. I returned for a soak. Ah, I can't say how awesome it felt just to sit in the cool blue waters. The aches all disappeared for a moment. The stench subsided. I became socially smelly. I had kept myself cleaner this stretch with frequent water at campsite locations. The boater waves pushed me a bit, better than the knock me down winds of past days (they weren't actually that strong).
I dried up a bit. Did some town stuff. Got a real cup of coffee, a pizza, and a beer before heading to the transit center. Now, I have to be dietary careful else the weight lost will haunt me.
Truckee Thursday's the town closes Old Town for the evening. Vendors, artists, and a live band take over. I walked through the prep to get to the Red Light/ Speak Easy Hostel.
The hostel, one of the most epileptic of hostels I've ever stayed in. Yes, it was a brothel in the hey day of Truckee, now a place for different kinf of travelers. The colors inside bold and the art work mix of antiques and 50/60's art. The rooms, bunked with lots of privacy and a lockable shelf with a power outlet. Most of the folk I met worked there, not many visitors that evening.
I returned to Old Town. This is not easing back into society after 40 days of wilderness and small towns. It's the frog into the boiling water. My eyes kinda glazed over as I wove through masses of locals and tourists. Where did all of these people come from? Truckee is home base to several ski resorts and much like Park City where Main St is separated from much of the rest of the community.
I got a postcard, the last of the witt from the trail. A tradition I can't remember when it started, I think of lessons from the trail, write some on the postcards of local highlights. Some sayings aren't all shared as my folks get them first, mail forwarding. It's fun to get mail. The art of postcards from a far lost its touch with the advent of social media.
Sleep? I've slept only on one other surface since hitting the trail and that was at Crossroads Hostel near Dunsmiur. I tossed missing the fritos bag sound of my air mat. There were no stars from my bunk. I tossed more than any other night and woke rested before 6 am without the feeling of sinking to the ground. I don't think my pad has a pinhole. I think it's how I lay that puts me on the ground.
I've spent a bit of time walking the shops of Old Town Truckee. A different mass of people choked the sidewalk. I gave up and found a coffee bar sandwich shop on a different street.
Will the Zephyr be on time? Will I be in Truckee for 24 hours? Oh Dark Thirty will wake me with the nudge of the conductor in Salt Lake. Then ya'll will ask me to stop talking of the PCT or ask me when am I headed out next. The next time will be determined next year, which section as well. The only answer for the PCT is UP. It's always UP, even when going in the inverse direction of UP. Now you'll have to ask to refine the answer to be appropriate to the setting.
I may create a YouTube channel for the few videos I recorded. Note to future self: get the largest micro-SD card the device will process and use it. I had to cut off the recodings about day 28 due to space limitations. The internet connections in the places I stopped were slower than US Post.
Oh, time to return. Time to return to what normal is considered to be. Normal for the last few weeks is wake up, pack, start hiking, keep hiking, and bed down with a bit of other things in between like looking at a lot of trees.
I must thank my employer for making these past few weeks possible. Let's create some awesome futures for the clients.
Hike on. Hike wise.
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