"Kennedy Meadows: the Times Square of the PCT." - Dayhike
Kennedy Meadows! Since day one, we've all discussed this landmark as if it were Canada; it is the famous entryway to the Sierra, marking the beginning of a new chapter. No longer are snakes our biggest animal threat, but bears. We won't sweat to death anymore, but we will likely wake up to cold, icy mornings. We all need to acquire more gear: bear vaults, ice axes, and micro spikes.
At Kennedy Meadows, hikers receive a round of enthusiastic applause upon arrival from everyone sitting on the porch. I also obnoxiously threw in several "you're so brave!" And "you're a hero!" Comments because why not?
Our new pal Genie, Boom, and I were the first to arrive from Slow Magic, and we convened on the large porch with some beer and an array of resupply boxes. Highlights included all of the incredible notes on our resupply boxes from Mama Susong and Papa Freedman, including full illustrations of mountains and inspiring quotes, as well as new shoes, ice axes, micro spikes, socks, and a delicious surprise from DC George: single origin instant coffee cuz we fancy like that. Oh, and JANDALS as Animal says, aka camp shoes!!!! How I've survived this long without them is a mystery to me.
[Beccoming my standard sign picture; 700 folks!; the boxes are amazing; Scrumpy meeting Camel; Truck times!; unlimited pancakes...]
The rest of the crew trickled in and joined us as we melted into our chairs throughout the afternoon, occasionally shuffling our table a few feet to avoid the sun.
In the evening Hardway, Boom, and I walked down to the river for an evening swim before rejoining our crew for a powwow underneath the stars in celebration of Jetpack's birthday. Animal pointed out complex constellations to us, like the Shopping Cart and the Skinny Dipper.
And then the hikers came. Due to the PCT reopening, they poured in and crowded on the deck. Our crew piled into the back of a pickup to go to the only restaurant in Kennedy Meadows: Grumpy's, where a stressed out couple slung giant pancakes onto plates, along with eggs and hash browns: the only menu item.
We returned to chores: laundry (only one washing machine was available so the wait lasted hours) and showers, eating pints of Ben and Jerrys, and giving Hardway a shakedown (he dropped ten pounds out of his pack!) Kennedy Meadows has been our only "town" stop without cell service or wifi, and I have to admit it was a relief not to feel the pressure to work or answer emails.
In the afternoon our crew split up; most elected to return to Grumpy's for dinner. Animal had been passionately campaigning all day for dollar hotdogs and two dollar PBRs; the owners had promised this deal only if he brought 30 hikers, and he ultimately recruited 45.
[Ben and Jerry's on the KM porch; our good friend Jefe; Hardway and Fey ready to roll; and of many uses?; back in the Kern; Cowboy camping!]
Genie, Hardway, Boom, and I decided to hike out just a few miles to the river for some swim time. And what great luck - Hardway found a football that would provide entertainment for many days to come.
That night the four of us cowboy camped side by side under the stars. The group would catch up to us tomorrow at the river, so we could take it easy and sleep in.
