PCT miles 471.6 to 478.6 – A half mile north of The Oasis to Casa de Luna in Green Valley, CA – Total PCT miles 478.6
Today we hiked just a few miles for what’s known in hiker speak as a “nero-day”. Nero means hiking close to zero miles in a day. But that’s all we needed to do as we’ve arrived at Casa de Luna! This is the famous home of trail angels Terrie and Joe Anderson in Green Valley, CA at miler marker 477 (though officially we’re at PCT mile 478.6). Casa de Luna is known for its taco salad feasts, manzanita forests and relaxing atmosphere.
Terrie and their pup Porky picked us up at the trailhead with several other hikers around 10:30 this morning. Before we even got off the trail and into her van, Terrie had given Gabriel and I both a hug! I feel I should add that Terrie is a most excellent hugger; a hugger guru if you well.
Casa de Luna has the feel of the Oregon Country Fair with shady oaks, twinkly lights, wind chimes and free spirits. When we arrived there were a bunch of hikers on the couches in the drive way and beers in the cooler, above it all hangs a sign: Hippie Daycare. Indications indeed that this place is a spot for a hiker to relax, rest his or her feet, enjoy some shade and let the snow melt (hopefully) a little in the mountains.
At the moment, Gabriel is playing a nicely tuned guitar and drinking both chocolate milk and a Negra Modelo (which made him think of his brother Michael-Hi Michael!).
And now that it’s passed noon it’s time for me to have a local beer, a Mojave Gold. Soon we’ll be heading to the desert of its namesake, but for now it’s time to relax.
BIG UPDATE! Gabriel now has a trail name!!!!!!!!!!!! It is Roo or Rooo or R with o’s to infinity, depending on how he wishes to spell it. Gabriel was given his trail name by our friend Rocklocks while 20 hikers sat around the camp fire in the Anderson’s front driveway. The topic of conservation was the Mojave Desert and the impending long water carries in potentially hot conditions. I mentioned that Gabriel wanted to be a kangaroo rat, because they can extract water from the plant matter they eat… and thus they don’t have to drink (or carry) water. This sparked Rocklocks to exclaim that Roo (as in kanagroo rat) would be a great name for Gabriel. A couple of folks around the camp fire seconded it, and thus a trail name was given. To folks on the trail, Gabriel is now Roo. But for the record: Gabriel really does like his name and prefers to be called Gabriel.
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