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Day 25 – 16 Apr 19. The Myth of Pizza Delivery to the Trail

Today 33.2 km (20.6 mi), Total Distance 539.8 km (335.4 mi). 9 hours 35 minutes (0705-1740, 2 hours at Cleghorn Picnic area so 1 hour deducted)

Surprisingly I slept well despite the wind. My spot remained sheltered apart from a few light gusts. I woke at 0600 but lay in bed for a while. It was much warmer this morning, just over 10 degrees C.

I was on my way just after 0700. The day was sidling along hillsides but today the view to the right was civilisation and some lakes. I was feeling ok except for the top of my left shin was niggling. It was a new spot to be making itself felt. I stretched but it was present most of the day, though not sore.

I also have the first signs of Hiker Hunger, a condition that afflicts Thru Hikers. Basically because we are expending much more calories than we are consuming we get hungry, then we start to get obsessed with food, thinking of nothing else until we can eat. My previous hikes it took at least 6 weeks for Hiker Hunger to strike but this morning I woke up really hungry and polished off my whole mornings snacks by 1000.

A few miles in was a stream crossing where I met a guy with dreadlock w then disappeared, never to be seen again. He looked like a hiker but who knows. I crossed the river by hopping on stones and on the other side filtered my water.

Just as I was leaving the river area I saw another hiker sitting down. We said hi and I continued. He flew past me 20 minutes later.

There were a few slight hills but noting to strenuous. As I crested one I saw two hikers disappearing around the hill in the distance. Not long after I caught up to two other hikers. I recognised Panda from the campfire prior to Big Bear and Second Chance who is a minor trail celebrity from his YouTube videos. He is overweight but determined to finish. He started in Jan with horrible weather doing 3 miles a day. Now he is doing similar mileage to many other hikers and his pace was decent. I only took off once we started going uphill.

After a lot more travel on the side of the hill the trail dropped down, crossed under a dam and then along the road for a bit. I met Alicia sitting by the road having a break. She is the one FOG and I saw just after the last river crossing yesterday. I made a comment that it is unusual to see a female hiking alone and she said she meets up with a group each night. Smalls is the omly other hiker still hiking alone.

After a little more time beside the road the trail climbed over a ridge then dropped down beside Silverwood Lake. It followed around the lake, climbing up and around a hill then started dropping to the Cleghorn Picnic Area.

Cleghorn Picnic Area

Panda had mentioned you can get pizza delivered here and Guthook even had the phone number. I called while I was still high up the hill and ordered two large pizzas, the minimum to get delivered. I figured some other hikers would take the second off my hands.
It was then another 15 minutes to drop down to the picnic area. There were four people there. Hummingbird and Hobbit are a young engaged couple. There was also a German/Brit and an American with a trail name of No F###s. Not long after Alecia arrived and then Panda and Second Chance. Then Iron and another guy.

The pizza took a while, due to the volume ordered I guess. Iron and the guy had not ordered anything so when my pizzas arrived I offered the second pizza to them at discounted rate. They were really happy and I recouped some of the money. They were not cheap pizzas. We sat around talking until the pizza arrived then it was silence as everyone stuffed their faces. I was so full I could not finish my pizza so I wrapped up the leftovers for dinner.

Everyone they lay around in a stupor but I decided to push on and get in a few more miles to get me closer to the Macdonald’s which was 14 miles away. I usually like the hiking after a long break but my stomach was so stuffed I was pretty slow.

The trail climbed steadily to a ridge then started dropping all the way back down again on the other side. On this downhill my shin niggle disappeared.

I stopped at the one good stream to filter water for camp and then continued down the hill to the campsite.

Hummingbird and Hobbit were there and invited me to set up next to them. We talked a little and went to bed early. I did not have the leftover pizza as I was still too full.

Visits: 548

2 thoughts on “Day 25 – 16 Apr 19. The Myth of Pizza Delivery to the Trail”

  1. Wondered whether you would encounter Second Chance. He’s actually put out some very interesting videos with good information for fellow hikers. However, he’s not as diligent as you are about the daily life on the trail :).

    As Glide mentioned, your caption made me think you had missed out on Pizza, glad you got it though.

  2. When I saw the title of this post I thought, “Oh no! Did she not get her pizza?!” Maybe it’s my American interpretation of the phase, but I think The Mythical Pizza Delivery to the Trail might be a better title. Your call. When I hiked in 2015 pizza delivery wasn’t a thing yet, or if it was I didn’t know about it. I’m glad it worked out for you all.

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