Project Eveningland

4/8/2023 Saturday

I slept like a little lamb in my cozy bunk! It was actually too warm! Everyone around here has been rendered a little cold-wary, a little rain-shy, by this latest batch of cold wet weather.

The hostel was bustling in the morning. Tie-dye and her daughter were getting ready to set off. Bunny the caretaker is an extremely lovable character who used to run a hostel but now just helps out around here with shuttling and upkeep. Just a very sweet, dear person. A longtime hiker. She was running late so Wedge threw all the sheets in the wash to save her some time. She was very appreciative. This happened after breakfast—I guess this entry is in media res. Come to think of it, my brain is in media res about 95% of the time.

We went to Massey’s for breakfast. It’s a little homey restaurant in a refurbished basement that used to be a hair parlor, doubles as an antique shop, and serves some damn good food. Tia has a newfound passion for helping hikers. She didn’t know there was a need until she offered to help a hungry hiker who promptly broke into tears. She’s going to be open on Easter. “I can’t close down; I just opened for the season!” We are gonna go for breakfast again tomorrow and I’ll eat whatever she puts in front of me. She must be a perceptive person because she built this gorgeous cozy lounge (a “hiker haven”) full of exactly what hikers need and want, including laundry, showers, and comfy chairs where you can sit and rest and repack your stuff.

After that I set about emptying my bank account for more gear. I decided to buy another new pack at the outfitters downstairs and got a summer bag while I’m at it. I need to be comfortable at night in a wider range of temperatures. It’s a 30 degree bag that weighs the same as my 15 degree bag. It has zipper vents and much more room, however. I’m gonna be up front here: this stuff ain’t cheap. My cold weather bag cost $400 and that’s midrange. My new bag cost $350. I bought a ULA pack made of the new Ultra fabric, same weight as Jeannie Gray (my current pack that is now too big for me in the waist—though I still haven’t lost hardly any weight. It’s just that my ass weighs twice what it used to. Legs too). At any rate, the new pack is a much better fit. It cost $350. I also spent $175 yesterday on new headphones and new hiking shorts. All is well, I just want people to know the level of profligacy we’re looking at here. Also they give you a 10% discount when you stay at the hostel!

We had lunch at the same Mexican place. I ordered the same meal. Overstuffed street tacos, flavorful black beans, sharp queso, “Mexican” rice at the optimum level of greasiness. Very cold soda water. Stopped at the fudgery, which is also an ice creamery, and cutesy-signery. I had wonderful creamy peach ice cream with chunks of real fruit. I bought some fruit cream chocolates and sampled Mountain Dew fudge, which tasted odd and may or may not be a harbinger of societal collapse (doesn’t it seem like the kind of thing that might have caused the collapse of the Roman Empire? That and dog costumes—real panem et cicrcenses type stuff).

Then we came back here and I packed up my old pack and winter sleeping bag and prepared to ship them to my parents back in Ohio (cheaper than mailing to Colorado). I spent a while hemming and hawing about where to go for resupply. We’ve made reservations at a hostel and some really modest plans for the next 70 miles or so. It’s gonna be a wonderful stretch with some good weather. I’m looking forward to Burke’s Garden and what I call Eveningland Meadow. I’ll maybe write more about that later. I only need two days of food so I went to the gas station which didn’t require a 20 minute walk. It was so easy! All I had to do was dodge the police (who were there to deal with “a domestic”—kudos to that officer for refusing to allow someone to escalate) and find alternate protein because they don’t have the flavors of tuna I like.

Marion is a town at a crossroads. There are some gaping tears in the social fabric, for the usual reasons in America: poverty, hopelessness, drugs. At the same time there is a little movement stirring. A dedicated group of folks want to make this a trail town. Its location is perfect. It’s got plenty of services. I’m always happy to see locals making money off hikers by meeting needs. AT hikers are an increasingly moneyed set, at least from my perspective.

I fell asleep in the hostel above the outfitters next to tall, old windows set into gorgeous dark wood. The tree right outside is leafing.

We had bar food next door again for dinner. Good wraps. It’s been a busy day off but not in a bad way. Everything was nice and close. The atmosphere at the Merry Inn has been filled with laughter and warmth and plenty of exercise for my credit card. I feel well-equipped for the challenges ahead.