Day 50

Today is hard.

Doctor and I dropped Sunrise and Piñacolada off at the trail.

We ran some errands while we still had the rental car. Since the local Enterprise is closed on the weekends, a Friday rental is actually a Friday-Monday rental. But it was nice to have a vehicle.

Initially, I was looking to go to Los Angeles, stay overnight with a friend, then fly out the next day. After looking at flight and bus options, the best route for me was to get a Greyhound from Tehachapi to Las Vegas. Aunt Imelda would meet me there, I could clean up, and she’d drive me to the airport. I booked everything and Rafa/Doctor and I hung out at his motel room.

I soon got a text from Greyhound saying my bus was canceled. Three minutes later I got a second text saying a different bus was coming to get me. Customer support was useless and offered to book me on a bus the next day, which wouldn’t work with my flight. Incidentally, about an hour later, they canceled Doctor’s bus for the next day. It was the exact bus they offered to rebook me on.

I tried to cancel my ticket, but Spirit airlines is a bunch of crooks. Whatever.

If I’m able to get to Los Angeles I can fly to Seattle. I found a public transit option. A Kern County Metro bus ride from Tehachapi (for $3!) that leaves at 9pm for Bakersfield , then an Amtrak bus to Los Angeles, then I can fly to Seattle!

I get on the Kern Metro at 9, arrive at Bakersfield. Then…nothing. The 11pm Amtrak bus is only available if you’re connecting trains. And there’s no customer support available to let me know. So I have to call an audible and book a Flix Bus (ew, Greyhound again) from Bakersfield to Los Angeles. The soonest they have is 4am for a 6:30 arrival. I adjust my plane schedule accordingly.

And it’s midnight so I’m moving to the next journal entry.

Day 51: Seattle

I head to the bus terminal for my 5 hour wait. Of course I can’t sleep out there, it’s not trail — it’s urban. I walk to the AM/PM for a hot chocolate and coffee and snacks. I use the bathroom. I walk back. I wander. I pace.

4 am rolls around and a text comes through. The bus is late. How late, they won’t say. It ends up being 45 minutes late so, guess what, I have to change my flight again.

Fretful sleep on that bus ride.

At the LA bus terminal, I get lucky and get on the shuttle to LAX just before they close the doors.

At LAX it was kind of nice. It was good to finally be at some reliable transportation. But I couldn’t breathe yet because, at this point, I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I did meet some other hikers!

It’s always nice to run into hikertrash off trail! And I really needed the energy boost you get from running into people like you.

The flight was, thankfully, uneventful. I landed in Seattle. I got to see my beautiful Beth, and we got lunch. We started at a farmers market we ran into, getting to West Seattle.

It’s so good to see her. I need her energy right now. I’m so physically, emotionally, and just existentially exhausted. This is a level of wiped out I’ve never experienced.

She dropped me off at Ashlyn’s to get my car, and it was great to see her. All the hugs today. I need them. I need every hug on earth. All of them. Until there are none left.

Beth and I then went to coffee. Oh how I’ve miss Seattle’s coffee scene. New York and Chicago have their respective pizzas, Philly has cheesesteaks, Seattle has coffee.

Then we went to get my beautiful baby boy, Rye. Cloe met Beth at the dog park at her apartment and I came in to surprise Rye. He was so happy to see me. I love that little dingus so much.

Then it was time to go to the hotel. I booked a Best Western on account of the free breakfast and my hiker hunger. Seriously, I’m constantly ravenous.

Beth and I went to check in, I showered 36+ hours of anxiety and travel off me, and we had dinner. What we had I can’t remember. Honestly I can’t remember much from these days.

But it was so nice to sleep. I do remember the room had excellent blackout curtains.

Day 52: more Seattle

Today we ran around Seattle a bit. The breakfast at the hotel was amazing. They had cheese on their eggs and the waffles are so good.

I love a waffle.

I fixed a big plate for me, no bacon. I fixed a small plate for Rye of cheesy eggs and bacon. Because I wanted to surprise him. He’s been so good and he deserves a treat.

It was so nice to sleep next to my Beth and my Rye. Waking up to them is such a joy. I hate that I’ll be losing them for a while soon, but I need to be back on trail. I can already feel its pull. I love hiking and want dirt crunching under my feet again.

We ran around town, got some boba at Bambu, a place I love. We had dinner at a hot pot joint because we both love soup. I got something with an unreasonable amount of mushrooms, because that’s who I am.

Then we got ice cream because I need the calories and we both love the stuff. And it was off to bed! More cuddles!

Day 53: Departure from Seattle

Beth left this morning to go work. I left, with Rye, around 11. It was a sad goodbye, but I know we’ll be together again soon.

The drive was long and I haven’t had restful enough sleep to feel fully recharged, but I know I’m good enough to drive.

The most efficient route is from Washington through Oregon, cutting a corner through Idaho, then down into Nevada (through Las Vegas, ironically), then into Arizona.

My plan is to drive through Idaho and sleep at a rest area in Nevada for two reasons. 1: it gets me farther and 2: I don’t like Idaho.

It’s great to be with Rye, even though I do want to be on trail. The scenery is gorgeous out here.

And Rye is always happy to stretch his legs.

I got to see a truck transporting a wind turbine blade. Because I haven’t seen enough turbines yet!

Eventually, around 11pm, we made it to a rest area. I brushed my teeth, fed Rye, we both went to the bathroom, and then slept in the back of my car. It wasn’t bad!

Day 54: Las Vegas and Tucson

I woke up to a bunch of high school kids getting off a bus in the rest area lot. They were throwing a football over my car and making a lot of noise. I’m officially an old man (or I just hate football, have since high school). Maybe both. Probably both.

Anyway. It was a quick morning. I had a protein cookie (easy breakfast from trail), Rye had his food, we both went to the bathroom, and we were off.

I didn’t expect northern Nevada to be so pretty.

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Some weird clouds there!

Lunch with Aunt Imelda was great. I got to meet her husband Dave, who is super nice. Desiree was off on vacation, which was a bummer (for me, she’s in Aruba so good for her!)

After lunch I looked at the time to Tucson. It was only about six and a half hours so I figured why not. Just go for it, get in late, book a room, and sleep in a bed with a shower. At this point I stank and was dirty…and I wasn’t even on trail.

I had good luck with the Best Western in Seattle, so I tried the one in East Tucson, because they supposedly had vacancies.

They wouldn’t match their online price, and their online price wouldn’t let me book. So I went through a third party.

I got to my room and slept.

Day 55: Tucson

It ended up being a terrible room. The hot water didn’t work, the room was dirty, their laundry room took quarters but the facility is cash free, and the door lock was janky. I had to jump through hoops, but I ended up canceling my second day and getting a partial refund on my first day.

I’m sick of getting swindled while I’m traveling. Seriously.

I just went to a Motel 6. It was less expensive and it was clean, quiet, and the curtains were nice and dark. I grabbed a cook pot and spare camp stove from my storage unit to save some money on food, and to get some fresh veggies. It was a good move.

Rye and I ran around town a bit. I had lunch with my friend Melissa, and it was so nice to be back in my hometown.

Unfortunately my friend who’s trying to take Rye for the remainder of my trip was called to the border for work. She won’t be back until Saturday. But she gave me the contact information for her landlord so they can meet Rye and we can try to get him approved to stay with her.

Day 55: Tucson 2

Rye gets to meet the landlord today!

I’m having sushi with my dad. I always enjoy seeing him and sushi at our spot is kind of a family tradition now. It’s really great to see the spot.

Rye met the landlord and it was an interesting meeting. It ends up I’ve met him before. He’s friends with my ex wife a brother. We met once. It was a super amiable meeting and he loved Rye. I mean, to meet Rye is to love him. Unless you’re a cat or rabbit.

I went to Talya’s for Shabbat dinner. I tried not to surprise her, but her phone was already off.

This week has been so hard. So incredibly hard. The level of anxiety and exhaustion is overwhelming. Getting Rye’s paperwork gathered and submitted on mobile when I’m nowhere near my file box was hard. Coordinating so many things is exhausting. Trying not to leak money while traveling is horrendous.

Getting to Shabbat dinner with Talya and the community was the turning point I needed. I felt good again. It was wonderful to meet new people. And my old friend Eric, whom I haven’t seen since my divorce, was there. We caught up as if no time had passed.

Shabbat is magic and it was exactly what I needed.

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Day 53: Tucson 3

Today I went to Shabbat at Bet Shalom.

There is a member who’s a rabbi and he gave a really moving drash about this week’s parsha, which is one of my favorites. When I told him how it moved me, he told me how a drash I gave probably seven years ago helped him find comfort. It was really moving and I was so glad to have been able to give him that.

When I left, I got an email that Rye was approved to sty with my friend Sarah! Yay! He has a sitter and all she needs to do is get the paperwork and I need to pay her!

Day 54: Tucson 4

I went for coffee and took Rye for a walk. While walking him, a bee came up behind me and stung my cheek. I tried brushing it off, and the stinger got lodged in my finger. Of course I manage to sting myself twice with a single bee sting.

The motel was getting expensive, so I put a call out to see if I could couchsurf. My friend Hollie said I could stay with her for a couple days, and her dogs were super friendly. Rye got along with them great, and her son was so nice.

It’s good to have the people I have.

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(Day 55): Tucson 5

Big day!

Sarah is signing the paperwork for Rye to stay with her temporarily. I’m dropping him off. And I was able to book my tickets out of here!

I got Rye settled in with Sarah and he seemed super happy to be there. She’s really great, and she’s going to take him walking, hiking, and camping — all the things he loves, minus eating pigeons on ferry walkways (it’s a whole story).

I’m so excited!

I had dinner with my dad. We went to El Corral and had our favorite. Grilled prime rib, medium rare. Dad was super kind and bought my plane ticket back with his miles.

I’m really glad this trip turned around Saturday. I really feel like Shabbat was the perfect turning point for such a hard week. I’m still exhausted, but I feel the weight of anxiety has lifted.

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