PCT 2015 Day 65: Resupply in Bridgeport

• Start: 1,010.4
• End: 1,016.9
• Miles: 6.5
• Camp: Bridgeport

The aim of the day was to make Bridgeport before the post office closed at 4pm. Easy we thought, as we only had 7-8 miles to hike, most of which were downhill. I was the latest in my guess at arrival time, going for noon. 

The hike really astonished me with the change of scenery. It changed from a huge volcanic scree mountain at camp to thick vegetation, green fields and lots of flowers by the time we got to the road. 

We arrived at the road around 10:15am to find two people already hitchhiking. They’d arrived the night before and had already been trying to get a ride for a couple of hours that morning. I thought there might be a flaw in their plan though; they were hitching right at the point where the trail meets the road. From their point of view there was a turnout just ahead for drivers to pull off the road, which was all great. However the turnout was just over the crest of the hill and was entirely invisible to oncoming traffic. Before I could voice my thoughts Italian Stallion turned up and recommended they move further down the road to where a larger, flatter turnout could be seen from the trail. They got a ride within 15 minutes and left the way clear for us to try! Unfortunately it began to rain and traffic slowed, but we got picked up by a mother and son out hiking for the morning and turned back by the weather. They had been planning to drop us at the intersection of highways 108 where they picked us up and 395 which Bridgeport is on, but generously decided to take us direct to town, a 34 mile trip out of their way. Incredible! We made it into town by 11:45. Noon was not a bad guess…

The post office was unfortunately closed for lunch by the time we got there. Apparently post offices close for lunch. We decided to find a place to stay and get some lunch of our own. The motel we picked was also closed for lunch. Confused. The only thing left to do was eat, and figure out this tiny town. 

We eventually managed to pick up our food drop from Frankenstein and do a minimal top up at the general store before everything actually closed for the day. Hurrah, food again! We also took it in shifts to take laundry/move from washer to dryer/collect laundry whilst wearing our rain gear (the only things not being washed). Ways to spot a PCT hiker #217.