Busy town day

Day 11

Date: 04.05.2022

CDT Mile: Mile 157.8

Miles hiked: 7 Miles \ 11.2 km

I had a good night sleep in the ghosted Hotel and didn't encounter any spooky situation's. The room is tiny for three of us but it worked out well. Having the hiking rhythm, we got up at 6.30 am. Having a shower and washing my hair I feel fully recovered. I've gotta lot to sort out today, it's town day again... We have breakfast at the hotel which was surprisingly good for an american breakfast (if you have ever been to the USA, you might know that continental breakfast mean something completely different than in Europe!). Stumble Bee, PlusOne, Dogbite, Wagon and me leave before ten to check out the Outfitter. I need a new water filter and may need new pants (some chaffing issues). I find the water filter, leave the pants though. Back in the Hotel I managed to get a hitch to Walmart, which otherwise would be a 2.5 miles walk. I urgently need a US phone plan to have data and phoning possibilities with hiking friends. And in walmart they sell them for many different suppliers. Also we can do our resupply for the next stretch and prepare a resupply box to be send to Pie Town (there is no real resupply opportunity there, so we have been advised to send a food box). I am always amazed by Walmart and have to check out every single aisle. It takes ages for my resupply, I'm totally overwhelmed by all the options given. But mostly you gotta buy big packages, so too big for me alone to resupply. Thinking ahead and what you need for how many days hiking is also stressing me out. Then I go and check out the phone plans. It takes more than one hour till it finally kinda works. Poor Dogbite and PlusOne who are suffering from their hangover and have to wait for me😘 Couldn't have done it alone. I get a sandwich from subway and we head out after like 3 hrs of walmart! PlusOne tries to get a hitch back on the parking lot outside of walmart to town but the man turns away. I get up to help her and the man recognizes me (he was behind me in Subway), drives back and says: 'I know her, get in my car, where do you need to go?' PlusOne can't believe it, I get hitches without even having to ask🤣! Anyway, a hitch is a hitch and we are super happy to get one in no time. Back in town we manage our resupply for the next stretch and our resupply box for Pie Town in front of the visitor center, in the middle of the Pathway😁 That's how it works if you are a thru hiker. I also manage to break my glasses and look like a pirate now, with only one glass🤣 After we have enjoyed some time at the Hostel and tried fixing my shades, we hike out at 5.30pm. I'm really happy to hike out, as town days can be so stressful. It's again a 7 miles road walk out of town, but this time on a smaller road through a nice neighborhood. It's an enjoyable road walk and we even see many deer's along the road walk. We arrive at the Gila river alternate trail head after 8pm in the dark, where we meet Kate and Peter again, a czech couple, and set up our camp.