April 3, 2022
- Start: Flagstaff (AZT mile 561.9)
- End: Flagstaff
- Distance: 0 miles
You know what really stinks? Having your body naturally wake itself up at 6 a.m. when you plan to enjoy a zero-day off the trail. Why the heck was I even awake before the sun was even up?? I was in a nice, comfy hotel bed. The blackout shades were drawn. The room was quiet. Yet I was 100% wide awake.
With the inability to fall back to sleep, I spent the next hour reading on my phone while I patiently waited for the guys to get up, too. And once everyone was alive and dressed, it was time to go out on the town and feed our faces. Volt and I planned to introduce Elliot to homestyle American cooking courtesy of the local Cracker Barrel. Then we were off to explore “the city of seven wonders” (aka Flagstaff).
TOWN CHORES
I had lots of town chores to tend to on this quiet Sunday morning. First, I needed to resupply for the next 105-mile leg of the Arizona Trail. Then, I needed to call home to talk with my loved ones. And when all that was done, the three of us set off for the local REI and another local outfitter called Babbitt’s Backcountry.
I was surprised to discover that both outdoor stores in Flagstaff had the lightweight rain jacket I wanted to buy when my other one bit the dust a few weeks ago. But since I’d already splurged on an expensive replacement in Payson, I was committed to riding out the rest of this trail with my existing rain jacket. I’d have to wait until I returned home before deciding whether this recently acquired item would remain in my long-term gear or not.
While we were out gear shopping, I also decided to swap out my crappy Amazon no-name waterproof sock (i.e., not really waterproof socks) for another brand of socks in hopes that they might be an improvement when we hit the snow between here and the Utah border. And while I was at it, I bought myself:
- A new pair of sun gloves – since mine were now literally falling apart at the seams after three consecutive years of use;
- Another odor-proof sack for my food to replace the existing one with a hole in it;
- A 3.9 oz. fuel canister that I hoped would last me until I got to the Grand Canyon; and
- A new pair of Injinji toe socks so I can ditch my my yucky pair with two holes sewn up with dental floss.
Once I delivered my armful of good to the register, I was stoked to discover that my REI dividend rewards had become available while I was out here hiking the Arizona Trail. So my new gear didn’t cost me a thing out-of-pocket!! Talk about good timing!
TIME FOR A HAIRCUT
After my gear splurge, I went over to the nearby barber shop while Volt and Elliot waited. This haircut was something I was definitely overdue for, and I couldn’t wait to get my short pixie cut cleaned up again. One of the primary benefits of hiking with such short hair is you really don’t have to do anything with it on the trail. You just get up each morning and hike.
But there’s a downside, too. Once my hair begins to grow out, I start to look ridiculous. I can’t go more than 4-6 weeks without a trim, or my unwashed hair begins standing up in odd ways. After 5 weeks on the trail, getting a fresh haircut to tame the monster was a necessary stop.
These simple town chores ate up most of the day, and it was mid-afternoon by the time we finished. By now, the three of us were famished in the way that only long-distance hikers (and perhaps growing teenage boys) can get. So we set off to Lumberyard Brewing for a late lunch/early dinner before returning to the hotel to get all our gear ready to get back on the trail tomorrow.
The food and drinks at Lumberyard were delightful, but our outdoor seating wasn’t the most conducive for conversation. Every few minutes, another train was rumbling by, and some passive-aggressive conductors seemed to be deliberately overdoing it with their multiple, long horn blasts.
LOOKING AHEAD
Back at the hotel, the three of us settled in for one last evening indoors while discussing the terrain ahead.
Elliot planned to part ways with us in the morning so he could hike up Humphrey’s Peak, and he even rented some snow shoes at REI to help him get up the snow-covered trail to the summit. Then he was going to snowshoe out to a trailhead to meet up with a friend in Flagstaff and spend another half (or full) day off-trail.
Meanwhile, Volt and I were looking at continue up the ATZ, up to the SnoBowl and around the side of Humphreys Peak. That meant a 2,000-foot climb and dealing with the recent snow accumulation from the last storm.
The next 105 miles looked like one of the drier stretches of trail, with very few water sources. We’d even have to contend with a 35-mile water carry, which I’d need to time correctly if I didn’t want to go thirsty for two days.
Volt and I made a pact to stick closer to each other than normal until we got beyond the snow up ahead. Neither of us wanted to have to deal with it on our own. The post-holing of the past few days might be child’s play compared to what lay above 8,000-9,000 feet elevation.
We still don’t have much information about the true conditions yet, as there are just so few AZT thru-hikers ahead of us now. Most of the hikers we needed to rely on were currently in the ‘dead zone’ of cell service between Flagstaff and Tusayan. So, they wouldn’t be posting comments about the trail until it was too late for us to benefit from their advice.
We also agreed that we might try to push bigger miles during this next stretch, assuming the conditions allowed it. I wanted to make it to Tusayan in four and a half days so I could get my resupply package at the Grand Canyon on Friday. But that plan meant we’d have to hike at least 23 miles each day, and who knew if that would be a realistic goal.
Highlights
- I’m super glad I took another zero in Flagstaff. It might come on the heels of an unexpected zero I Winslow, but I needed to buy some gear (e.g., new toe socks, waterproof socks, sun gloves).
- It was great to hang out with Volt and Elliot today, even if our early dinner at Lumberyard Brewing was a bit loud!
- Getting a haircut. OMG. Who knew such a minor thing could make me feel so damn good?
Challenges
- I wish we hadn’t been in Flagstaff on a Sunday, since I really could have used a trip to the post office to mail a few things home and lighten up my pack. I guess I’ll be carrying them until I get to the Grand Canyon’s post office.
- Looking at what lies ahead, I’m worried that the next stretch of the trail will be more difficult than I’d like. I’m grateful Volt is willing to hike together so we can work as a team.