We didn't take any pictures
today, so you will have to
look at a picture of Big
Bear Lake.
This was our day to resupply in Big Bear City. While walking into town, black clouds began to blow in. Since it looked like rain, we decided to treat ourselves to a night indoors. We called a motel. They were running a weekday special where all rooms were half price. Two rooms were available: A $200 room down to $99. It was their nicest room with a large jacuzzi bathtub by the fire and king size bed. Then, there was "a small room above the office" called Grandma's Attic, normally $100 down to $49. It was at this juncture that I did something stupid. I put my hand over the mouthpiece and told Scott that there were choices. Can you guess which one he wanted? I gave in. (They probably couldn't keep that big room clean anyway)
We checked in, and I must admit, Grandma's Attic was a pretty cute room with a quilt on the bed, rocker, and gas fireplace. The bathroom, however, was a pretty tight squeeze, tucked under the eaves. The tiny bathtub had a hand held shower nozzle acting as a shower. Later, when Scott went in to take a shower, I heard a big thump and some garbled swearing. It seemed someone hit his head on Grandma's rafters. What a shame.
We went to the Laundromat, which was conveniently located next to a pizza parlor. We did laundry first. A laundry problem that occurs on the trail, which never occurs at home, is that you want to be able to wash everything, but you can't stand around naked doing laundry in a public facility. (yes, folks, I have some limits) Therefore, you've got to hold some clothes back to wear. We chose to hold back our windbreakers and windpants and wash them in the next load. While the clothes washed, I decided to go across the street to the gas station and download and send out email. The weather, by this time, had turned bitter cold and clouds had socked in the lake. If you haven't gone out on a freezing day naked except for a windbreaker and windpants, you are missing out. I kept making mistakes with the pocketmail and had to make three trips in the cold.
Then, we moved on to pizza and beer which hit the spot. We also ordered deli sandwiches to take with us on the trail the next day. The locals in the pizza parlor chatted with us about our hike and assured us that the weather would blow over in the morning. We hoped so.
It was a long walk back to the motel on a busy road with very little shoulder. We walked in very much the same manner as we do on the trail. Scott walked with long fast strides and I trotted somewhat unevenly along after him. I had neglected to bring my glasses from the hotel, so things more than 15 feet out were a bit fuzzy. I was fascinated by the many choices of entertainment we had since leaving the wilderness and kept calling attention to signs I would read. "Look, they have frozen yogurt....oooh, live music." Scott pretty much ignored me. (we had had a little spat in the Supermarket, which I won't bore you with, which accounts for his attitude) I finally saw a sight that I thought surely would please him. "Look, it's a taxi, and he doesn't have a fare. We could get a ride!" Scott broke stride and turned and faced me. "That," he said, "is a Domino's Pizza delivery car." He then walked far ahead of me as if I was some idiot relation he had been forced to walk with. (He said his legs were cold and walking fast was keeping him warm. Right.)
Once back in Grandma's attic, we made up and snuggled down for a good sleep in a real bed before braving whatever elements might await us come morning.