Total PCT miles 558.3 – Mojave, CA

Our assortment of food for 8 days-we packed way too much food.

Another rest day on the ol’ PCT. Gabriel and I do seem to love these zero days. For this one, we hiked some 70 miles in three days! Which for us is still a little on the long side, as we’re supposed to be hiking 18 miles per day, not 23+ miles per day. Still, our bodies are handling the miles quite well. Any pains or twinges don’t last a whole day and in the mornings we wake up feeling good. But we do need these zero days to get a little recharge in the legs and give our feet a break.

Today we’ve slept in, ate waffles, did our laundry, got our resupply box (thank you Boni/Mom for all the sweet notes), and we had a REAL BANANA MILKSHAKE!!!!!!!!!!! The milkshakes on the trail keep getting better and better. And we’ve been told by a few hikers that the best milkshakes are yet to come-should we decide to take a break from the trail and go into Lake Isabella (at PCT mile 652) to Nelda’s Diner. We’re seriously considering this detour, even if it means we get into Kennedy Meadows a day later than anticipated.

This zero day we’re staying at the Best Western Desert Winds in Mojave. And for all those considering hiking the PCT someday, should you debate between the desert town of Mojave or the mountain community of Tehachapi. Keep a few things in mind: This Best Western has a great hiker rate, picks up and drops off hikers at the trail(!!!), has laundry on site, has super nice and helpful staff, AND a hot tub! It’s also in close proximity to the PO, milkshakes (indeed a priority), and not too far from the grocery store. If you’re looking for a convenient resupply and place to really rest, Mojave works great. If you’re looking for a resupply town that is a cool place to explore (and is a little pricier because of its tourist amenities) then Tehachapi is the place to go.

Tomorrow morning we’ll get our ride to Exit 159 on Hwy 58 and start hiking into the foothills of the Sierras.