[pct-l] Agua Dulce Hiker Heaven

[Donna Saufley" <dsaufley@sprynet.com (Donna Saufley)]

In Memory of Butch Wiggs, Friend to Hikers, Friend in Spirit; You are =
missed already.=20

PCT Hikers,=20

We're Jeff & Donna Saufley, trail hosts in Agua Dulce, CA. This will be =
our fifth season hosting PCT hikers, and we are looking forward to =
sharing this bit of the journey with you. We want to get the word out to =
all the hikers about (a) the post office/mail situation in Agua Dulce =
(b) the resupply situation here, and (c) our hiker heaven.=20

First, about the post office. Our local post office has closed. You do =
not need our direct permission.  We will hold your packages for you or =
forward as you instruct. Please send your packages to:=20

PCT Hiker (your name)=20
c/o The Saufley's=20
11861 Darling Road=20
Agua Dulce, CA 91350=20

We'll hold your package until you arrive, and will forward them on as =
you direct us. Your packages will be housed indoors and be kept secure. =
You can pick up your packages at our place seven days a week. You can =
also arrange to mail your packages out any day or night. We also have =
postal scales and postage.  Please share this information with other =
hikers, as we have seen hikers racing into town unnecessarily to get to =
get to the post office during business hours. =20

Along with our post office, the local grocery store has also closed. =
Hopefully, the grocery store will open under new ownership by the time =
the northbounders arrive (but it's not likely we'll get another post =
office). There is a rustic liquor store that has basic food items. Agua =
Dulce features an outstanding Mexican restaurant, a pizza place, a very =
nice continental cuisine restaurant, and a cafe/bakery that is open =
weekends. We will, as in past years, provide transportation to =
gear/grocery/general stores to help you on your way.=20

Next about our haven. We're at mile 464 on the way north, in between =
Wrightwood and Tehachapi/Mojave.  We're .9 of a mile from the trail. It =
is our hope to have EVERY hiker come and stay with us. We have a =
guesthouse, including kitchen facilities, that is open to hikers =
throughout the season for free. We also have comfortable RV, and have a =
spacious yard for those who want a quiet town rest. We provide showers, =
laundry, rides, and tons of information to hikers in this high desert =
section. We also have e-mail and telephones available for you. We =
welcome animals and livestock. Perhaps most importantly, we also provide =
current water reports for the next section from hikers traveling ahead =
of you.

As many have already come to find out and appreciate, additional support =
in this region, "Todd", a trail volunteer, is residing at the North Fork =
Saddle ranger station, and can also assist you before you drop down into =
Agua Dulce. His is the stop after Mill Creek Ranger Station and before =
Agua Dulce. Happily, he can let you take a "pre-town" shower before =
dropping down into the sprawling metropolis of Agua Dulce (just joking =
about the metropolis). Todd's phone number is 661.269.1870, and he's =
also looking forward to helping you on your way.=20

>From all accounts, Agua Dulce is one of the best stops on the trail, and =
I have heard from many, many hikers that their brief stay at our hiker =
heaven made the difference between quitting and carrying on. We enjoy =
meeting all the through-hikers, so please pass the word on about our =
haven and plan to stay with us yourself (at least for one night or a =
brief respite!). We'll be on the lookout for hikers coming into town. =
Call us directly 661.268.1235. Our e-mail is dsaufley@sprynet.com.=20

We hope this information helps you on your journey. Please pass this =
along to hikers wherever you're communicating with them. We (and the =
whole town) get excited when you all start coming through.=20

In awe,=20

*Jeff & Donna Saufley*=20


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