June 5
Mileage: zero
A hundred hikers in a motel room, a hundred empty cans of coors, a hundred stinky hiker feet, a hundred grocery bags of resupply, towels and bedclothes everywhere, the smell of stale balogna that follows exploded packs, like little kid lunch boxes that never come clean. Hikers coming and going, wandering around town in the warm clear sun. The gear store! I buy a bandanna with a topo map of yosemite valley. Guthrie and Twinkle buy the shortest running shorts they can find, which makes me immensely happy. Big beard short shorts, that’s what I always say. We’re all lookin bangin these days, massive calves and overly tan, like real thru hikers. We eat sprawling breakfast, I eat candy for lunch. I take a nap, wake up sweaty and confused, don’t know where I am. Everyone is at the bar for happy hour, taking shots. Hanging out while sleepy and confused makes me feel less sober. Best. Zero. Ever.
Photos on instagram.
CARROT QUINN 
Carrot! I’m so happy to hear that you had the Best. Zero. Ever. Because you are the best and BRAVEST hiker ever and you deserve it. I’ve just had the joy of over a weeks worth of your posts to catch up with, thank you for writing so much and about every day of your hike again this year, it’s a constant source of rich happiness to hear how you’re getting on.
Here in England I’ve just hiked between seven and nine miles (!) every day (!!) for six days (!!!). I know! I can’t believe it either, ta muchly for being the catalist. It’s been beautiful and I’ve carried my blisters like badges of honour. My partner and I have given ourselves brilliant new trail names and are enjoying pretending we have hiker hunger. And thinking about you every time it gets tough…
Nine miles though!
Sending you loads of happy, sore, hungry-for-more-hiking energy over from the UK x
Hi, Carrot! love reading your blog!! I’m near Sacramento; Was thinking of hanging out at Blue Lakes Rd (mi1067) when folks go thru – any idea when you might be going by there?