[pct-l] Hitch-hiking

[gwschenk at socal.rr.com]

If you're going to hitch all the way to Lee Vining, skip the expensive pretentious food at the gas station and continue on to the Mono Cone. Now that's hiker eatin'!!


---- scott garner <wiley10 at hotmail.com> wrote: 
> 
> I heard many a story about that gas station last winter when I was doing some ice climbing in Lee vining/Bishop area. I heard they sometimes have trapezee artisit and live bands playing at that Mobile station and I also heard the rumor about the chef being from spot in the Bay Area. I can wait to check it out when its open!!! Flip
>  
> > Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2010 10:35:59 -0800
> > From: baidarker at gmail.com
> > To: dthibaul07 at gmail.com
> > CC: pct-l at backcountry.net
> > Subject: Re: [pct-l] Hitch-hiking
> > 
> > Hitching wasn't too much of a problem accept for Steven's Pass, where I
> > stood in a cold drizzling rain for quite a while becoming hypothermic,
> > getting out of the lava and into Sisters Oregon, where I gave up after an
> > hour as I really didn't need the zero, and Tuolumne Meadows trying to get
> > down to "The Mobil" for dinner. Several of our party made it down, but
> > Smiles and I waited and waited and waited, and finally gave up and had pack
> > food that evening. We were teased unmercifully by our com-padres who made
> > the hitch, and had a great meal. They told us they were treated to dinner
> > by the trail angels who picked them up in the first place. Cold shot, and
> > probably a lie.
> > 
> > If you're not familiar with the Sierra yet, or Hwy 395, which runs down the
> > length of the range on the east side, the Mobile gas station is one of the
> > places it's worth getting off trail to eat, even though you've just picked
> > up a mail drop at Tuolumne. It's a small restaurant and store at the Mobile
> > gas station at the corner of Tioga Pass rd. and Hwy 395 just south of Lee
> > Vining. Foody friends in the Bay area tell me that the proprieter is an ex
> > chef from Chez Panisse in Berkeley. I don't know if that's true, but the
> > food is fabulous, and the view of Mono Lake, gorgeous. It's more pricey
> > than a burger joint, which it used to be, but you ain't getting just a
> > burger here. Anytime I get near, I make a run down the mountain to eat
> > there. Part of the fun is just getting such great food at a gas station
> > mini mart and standing in line with stinky hikers, that would be you and me,
> > and folks who have just driven up from Mammoth, or sometimes down from Tahoe
> > simply to eat there.
> > 
> > >From start to finish, the trail angels are amazing, but the trail north of
> > Truckee, all the way up to Firefly's home at Old Station, became known at
> > the land of the trail angels, as there were so many official, and unofficial
> > trail angels up there, such as Piper's Mom and the Williams' at Buck's Lake,
> > who will give you a lift, clean you up and often feed you, or get you to
> > good food. Several times when crossing a paved or even dirt forest service
> > road we came upon notes with tel. numbers to call for a pick up. Simply
> > marvelous people. Two guys I later hiked with, said that this section of
> > trail had restored their faith in humanity. If you're just blasting
> > through they will slow you down, but if you have the time to enjoy the
> > incredible hospitality, the trail angel experience is right up there with
> > the trail itself in terms of wonderful. And please leave a tip or something
> > to help keep them going.
> > 
> > The potentially bad hitch into Etna, due to so little traffic, was solved
> > for us as Max Chill's parents had driven out from Minn. to meet their trail
> > weary son and his dirty friends. His mom made several trips into town to
> > get us all there, and later took us back to trail. Incredible folks, but
> > sorely disappointed that Mango was not with us at that point, as they had
> > been following his journals and wanted to meet him. Most of the trail
> > angels followed several journals and loved getting news from us first hand
> > about their favorite journalers.
> > 
> > At Siskiyou Pass we had breakfast at Callaghan's resort where we met
> > Hummingbird who had just finished her first 60 mile day up from the Klammath
> > valley. The hitch out of the parking lot is potentially bad and the
> > waitress took such an interest in our stories, or maybe just to get the odor
> > out of the place, that she offered to give us all a lift into Ashland. The
> > breakfast business picked up and she was not able to get away, so the owner
> > of the resort piled us all into the resort van and drove us himself. Wow,
> > patronize this place! The waitress later caught up with us in downtown
> > Ashland and bought us each a beer. You simply meet the most marvelous
> > people being a thru hiker.
> > 
> > I agree with what's been said earlier, shmooze up the day hikers you meet
> > even though they smell funny and perfumey, and set up your rides before you
> > get to the trail head whenever you can. People who care about hiking are
> > often just pleased to help out, simply to be part of the experience
> > themselves.
> > 
> > Shroomer
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