PCT Day 69 – SoBo Flip – The Dirtiest Thirty Round 1

Zero at Belden Town, no hiking

Total PCT miles hiked: 951

Due to our early start Keith (Starman) and I arrived at the Sierras when there was still a lot of snow, and decided it wasn’t safe to attempt a crossing given my skill level. We elected to flip up to northern California and hike southbound (SoBo) back to where we left off near Lone Pine – giving the snow a chance to melt out. During this flip the PCT milage will be counting down, but I’ll include a tally of our total milage hiked so that you can keep aprised of our progress in a linear fashion.

Today is Keith’s 30th birthday! Well, on the day I’m writing this, not on the day you’re reading this which will be something like 10 days after the fact.

I think 30 feels significant in a way that non-decade birthdays do not. When I asked Keith what he thought about turning 30, what he felt it meant, he said that 30 feels like becoming a real adult, that it somehow forces people to take you seriously in the way that being a twenty-something does not. I guess I can see his point, but to quote April Ludgate from Parks and Rec “being a responsible adult sucks butt.” In an effort to undermine Keith’s pending adulthood, here are five things that make us randomly laugh and prove that despite our age we are not, in fact, adults.

1. Farts! Farts are always funny. And since our diet on the trail has lead to a dramatic uptick in these gasious expulsions, it’s best to be able to laugh at them.

2. The number of words and phrases you can add goat to. Whatever floats your goat. A goat of arms. Goatmeal (oatmeal). Goat for it. I worry about us.

3. Mitt Romney (generally) but also because of the quote “hot dog is best,” which he said in response to the question of his favorite meat. Because that’s what I really need to know from politicians. So now any time we’re having a hard time making a choice you can always contribute a “hot dog is best” to resolve the situation.

4. “You know what they say, a taco a day… Goose Lake.” This stems from a series of poorly placed advertisements along the I-5, the full narrative of which is too long to recount here and would likely bore you anyway. Let’s move on.

5. Making up alternate lyrics for popular songs. See: the post from day 60 – it’s like David Blane on your son’s birthday. This sing along was not an isolated incident.

Happy Birthday to my favorite goober! I hope that Belden Town Resort isn’t too bizarre of a place to spend your birthday. Now let’s go get some beers and fries!