August 18

I am so full from the convention and all the abundant food from my days off I feel healed from head to foot. I am so excited to be back "home" in the wilderness. I'm not actually in the wilderness tonight, however. On my way to the trailhead I called Louis. He happened to be at Shelter Cove in the middle of a resupply opportunity, and was going to camp at a nearby free campground. Since our trailhead was right next to the campground and our other option was to hike in to a campsite closer to the railroad tracks, mom and I decided to join Louis at the campground. It's been great to catch up with him and hear all the adventures he's had coming this way. We will hike out separately tomorrow as he is planning to take the PCT and mom and I plan to take the alternate for the sake of more abundant water. Louis has decided to change his name from "Poptart" to "Sugar Side Down" upon word from nobos that there is another "Poptart" on the trail. Once again, I am so glad to be home, but I can tell it is not home yet for mom.