Rest Day - Kennedy Meadows

Kennedy Meadows is a tiny town in Southern  California with a population of 200. According to the Kennedy Meadows store owner, that includes dogs and cats. But around this time of year, the little town of Kennedy Meadows soars into the thousands as thru-hikers are passing by and gearing up for the Sierras. The Sierras are what we have been gunning for since Mexico, and it's not just us. Every hiker has been talking about Kennedy Meadows for weeks now. Kennedy Meadows is a store where every hiker sends their mail drops, both food and gear. Gear because the Sierras will be colder as the elevation climbs to over 13,000'.

Kennedy Meadows General Store also has a grill / cafe where everyone stuffs themselves silly with burgers and ice cream. The diet of a hiker is nothing to boast about, but it's the calories we crave.

On a bad note, Balance tore a calf muscle walking down the stairs of the General Store this morning. After 700 miles of hiking the desert, she somehow took a wrong step and injured her lower leg pretty good. Earlier in the day she was unable to put any weight on it. A bit of a concern seeing we plan to hike out tomorrow. If we did have to take another rest day then it's a good spot for it. Her leg improved over the course of the day so that's promising. We will see tomorrow.

Many hikers are here enjoying a day off and meeting back up with people they have hiked with throughout the desert.

This was a sign we have been waiting for. The desert section of the PCT is behind us. Oh so happy.

This is the line to order pancakes this morning for breakfast, and it got longer by the minute. Thru-hikers can eat a lot of food. Our hiking friend Lewis from Australia ate 5 double cheeseburgers in one sitting. I thought I was going to get sick just watching him.

Balance opening up our mail drops. A major THANK YOU goes out to Rosemary, Balance's younger sister. Rosemary sent us 2 bear canisters full of awesome trail food. We were so excited opening these boxes. We now have lots of food to start the Sierras with. Thanks again Rosemary, we loved everything to sent us. We very much appreciate it.

This is the Kennedy Meadows General Store. This time every year there could be 50 to 75 hikers staying here to rest and gear up. There is a huge deck off to the right where everyone eats and hangs out.

Balance icing her sore right calf. We are hoping its better by morning. Time will tell.