May 29, 2007

I awoke by 7:00 a.m. to a cock-a-doodle-do.  I ate sour cream and onion potato chips and drank a Squirt.  The store didn't open until 9:00 so we phoned Grumpy Bear's hoping to get a warm breakfast.  They weren't open.  When the store opened I washed my laundry and hung it out to dry on the provided clothesline.

Then we all got a ride to the infamous Irelan's where Jerry provided his unusual service.  No butt cheek hanging out this year, though, just red boxer shorts.  And...Jerry had plenty of food to serve.  I enjoyed a ham and cheese omelet and two hot chocolates.  Duke helped Jerry in the kitchen acting as a server.  Distance hikers are so happy when well-fed.  When I returned to Kennedy Meadows I took a long nap.  Then I ate a grilled cheeseburger and macaroni salad.

Fireball and his wife, Hot Chocolate, came over to discuss our plans for hiking through the Sierras.  Hot Chocolate is a petite woman and is driving an SUV with a trailer attached.  Fireball calls her his "trailer magic".  Fireball is a former professor of 30 years at the University of Florida and wears his Gator hat with pride.  I am a UCLA fan.  Should be some fun jabbing in the Sierras.

I took a shower outdoors at the Kennedy Meadows General Store.  It was probably the first time in my life I needed my sunglasses to shower.  I showered next to Ironman and our divider had noticeable peep holes.  Who cared?  The shower felt great.  I phoned Grumpy Bear's to get a shuttle for all of the named hikers: 30-30, Spaz, Patrick, Hot Pocket, Duke, Ironman, Wimp, Rocco, Parker, and me.  We all piled into the back of a truck for the 2½ mile ride through the backcountry.  I ordered a grilled ham and cheese, fries, a strawberry shake and a Sprite.  I made phone calls home, then retired to my tent in the outdoor movie theatre under a full moon.