I awoke this morning and headed over to the Sierra City Country Store to use the wifi and email my gastroenterologist. I feel stuck in limbo until I can discuss treatment options for my ulcerative colitis with my doctor. I don’t know if he can just proscribe medication that I can just pick up locally or if I’ll have to go back home to deal with this issue. When I arrived at the store the wifi was down. Ugh. I felt completely cut off from the rest of the world – no cell service, no internet, no phone.
Sierra City Country Store
After I packed up my bags and checked out of my room I headed back to the store and this time the wifi was working. I sent an email to my doctor and then started researching options on where to go next. I needed to leave town today and head somewhere with cell reception – and preferably someplace with public transportation. I considered Reno or San Francisco, but ultimately decided to head to the next major town down the trail, Truckee. It was only an hour drive away and seemed easy to hitch to. Also the town had 3 drugstores, a hostel, and a train/bus station in case I decided to leave town.
Cheryl Strayed Signed the PCT Register at the Post Office in 2005!
By early afternoon I was ready to leave. I made a sign that read “Truckee” and was about to head to the road and stick out my thumb when Recon (Greg) drove up. I met Recon my very first day on the trail and had leapfrogged with him a few times in the desert. He is off the trail now, sadly, due to knee issues but he happened to be in town. He offered to drive me to Truckee as it was (sort of) on his way home. Yay! I didn’t have to hitchhike! Another hiker, Mass Hole (he’s from Massachusetts) was also going to Truckee and so the three of us planned to make the drive together. I bid goodbye to Monarch, Hitch, Spider Mama and Tetris and we hit the road. They will continue hiking southbound and hopefully we’ll connect up soon.
The Bar Area in the Redlight
Another View of the Bar Area in the Redlight
Recon dropped Mass Hole and me off at the Redlight Hostel in Truckee and we headed inside. The Redlight Hostel is the most expensive hostel I’ve ever stayed in but it is definitely the nicest. The building is decorated in a vintage bordello style with antique divan couches and pillows, beaded lampshade covers, and red damask wall paper. Even the lounge area in the kitchen is decorated sumptuously in funky bohemian style. The lodging also featured a quiet reading library nook in the attic, a sauna, and a tv/gaming room in the basement. I stayed in the women’s dorm and my bed had its own privacy curtain, light, and power strip. It was like staying in my own private tent except I got to sleep in a comfy bed! The hostel was also very clean and neat as a pin.
The Redlight’s Kitchen Area/Dining Room
On the Wall at the Redlight
The Redlight is located in the old part of Truckee which is a popular vacation destination. Upscale restaurants, bars, and breweries lined the streets and shiny happy tourists mobbed the sidewalks. Mass Hole and I went to Bar of America and where I ordered one of the most delicious cobb salads I’ve eaten in my life. The salad came with grilled chicken skewers and I groaned with pleasure as I tore into the first bite. The chicken wasn’t even dry! It was moist and tender! I haven’t eaten chicken that tasty since I started my hike. I guess my bar is pretty low when it comes to food right now.
The Best Cobb Salad Ever!
I’m glad to be in a town with cell reception fast wifi. Yay!
PCT 2017 Stats
PCT Day 95
Monday July 17
No Miles Hiked today
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