Day 56, June 12: Mile 789 into Bishop
Start: Mile 788.5
End: Bishop
Miles: 0 trail miles (7.5 total)
Ascent: 0 | Descent: 0
I hiked out from the trail where we camped and went up towards Kearsarge Pass. It was special to make it to the top of this pass because it brought me memories of a hike I did to the pass back in 2016 from the Onion Valley Campground below. At that time, I made it to the top of the pass and I was completely blown away by the beauty on the other side and thought to myself, “I have to go backpacking there.” There were many things that brought me to want to do the PCT, and I feel like that moment was one of them.
After reminiscing, I continued down from the pass towards the campground. I was basically running down the trail out of excitement for town, and I made it to the parking lot with time to spare, even with having taken a 30 minute break on the trail once I got cell service.
Squirrel Daddy and Baggins joined me at the parking lot, and soon my family friend Greg picked us up. Greg and my dad (also named Gregg) have been friends since Jr. High, and Greg and his wife live in Bishop and love the Eastern Sierra and all its fun activities. He had offered to help me out when I got in his area, and I and my two friends were incredibly grateful for the hourlong ride into Bishop!
After a lovely ride up highway 395 and into town, Greg dropped us off at a hostel in town where many of our hiker friends were staying. I desperately needed lunch, so Squirrel Daddy and I wandered off towards El Ranchito, a Mexican restaurant in town. We got the most amazing, enormous micheladas and I devoured my pork Chile verde.
After lunch, we moseyed around to the gear store and Looney Bean, the local coffee shop. I went to my hotel to check in, and took myself and my dirty clothes to the laundromat nearby. The laundromat was a funny scene, full of hiker friends, and we were all in our rain jackets and wind pants while all of our regular clothes were being washed. I enjoyed chatting and catching up with everyone.
After going back to hotel to relax for a bit and have a much needed shower, I met the gang at the bowling alley nearby for our friend Chip Trick’s going away party. She, heartbreakingly, has not been able to overcome her various injuries and is going back to Canada to get an MRI and heal up. She’s hoping to come back to the trail for the Washington section.
After bowling, we had dinner and then went to a bar to play pool. I ran the table and had a fun night.