Day 107: ⛺@ mile 1'489.9 - Mt. Shasta

Date: 23.07.2018 Miles hiked today: 11.3 Miles / 18.18 km Total mileage: Mile 1'501.2

As we want to reach the town of Mt. Shasta as early as possible (beers are calling!) We got up early today. Well, early for us as we started hiking at 6am. But our friends camping with us already left camp at 5am! Towns make us doing things we normally don't do :) it's not that far but we have been informed that it can be a hard hitch as we have to hitch from a highway exit which leads to no where. So hardly any traffic! So we must calculate some time to get a hitch. We arrived at the road shortly before 10am. It was mostly downhill today and so we hiked fast. Other hikers are there too. Some of them since 8am! Oh man, I wonder how long it will take us to get a hitch. Apparently there is also a bus running every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:40am to Mt. Shasta. As today is Monday we can take the bus if we are not lucky with organising a hitch. But we were lucky! At 10:30am a car passes. Totally unmotivated, not even standing up because I didn't believe he is gonna stop, I pull over my thumb. But see there, the car pulls over and 4 of us squeeze in the back of the car! We made it! In town we first get us some beer. I'm so thirsty that I'm the first one to finish the beer! I've never managed that before. Actually they called me babysitter - haha! :) because it takes me ages to finish a beer! We had a second one and here I go, tipsy already at 11am! It's time to get food. Indian food sounds great, let's go there. The food is ok, but not made for hiker hunger. I'm full but my hiker friends are not stuffed yet. I'm soo tired now, stuffed with food and sober again and it's so extremely hot outside. Next thing on our agenda is to do laundry. Hikertrash, all of us in our rain gear (it's even getting hotter!!) And laying outside on the street in the shade behind the laundromat! I can hardly move anymore! We heard there is a fitness Center allowing hikers to swim in the pool, hot tub and use the sauna for 10 bucks. As we camp (foe free!) behind a store we don't have shower options and that sounds wonderful. We call a Uber (it's 1 mile away but we are too lazy to walk!) And shortly later we enjoy all three options (pool, hot tub, sauna) and stay there for 2 hours. I'm so clean as I've never been on trail so far I think! Completely soaked from head to toe :) feeling much better again we are ready for resupply and dinner. As o have no idea how much food I've left, my backpack is behind the store and i domt want to walk the 15 minutes to get there, sort out my food and walk back i emd up buying too much food again! However,  i dont care now its the problem of tomorrow when i have tocarry it! We hear the black bear diner serves food big enough to satisfy hiker hunger (big plates) for a decent price. And food is wonderful and loads! I had a full rack of spare ribs with a backed potato, salad and vegetables and a yummie corn bread. I love corn bread! And all that for 15 bucks! Nothing to complain about really. But I'm stuffed, I've eaten far too much! I feel sick, I can't even finish my beer. I need to lay down and rest, so good night all!

Mt. Shasta in the early morning. 

We have to wait for the long train to pass, time for a break!