Tuesday, Feb 4th 2025, 0630-1300
Mm82 to Arizona City, end section 1
13 miles.
I woke up around 4 am hearing strange noises. Finally I realized it was somebody firing a gun repeatedly. It wasn’t rapid fire but more like someone target practicing. I couldn’t figure out how that could be done in the dark? It was still going on when I packed and started walking. Sadly, it seemed to be in the direction I needed to head for a cross country bit through the Sawtooths. So I checked my map and found a short dirt road alternate instead.
My morning was pretty easy and very pleasant, with views of the prominent pinnacles of the small mountain range. After only an hour, I left the mountains behind and reentered a large flat valley leading to Arizona City. The water report noted a possible source in the large wash that I was paralleling, but I was saddened to see that someone was literally bulldozing over the wash…probably to put up an Amazon warehouse or something.
There were miles of this barren land to walk through. Some was being farmed …cotton I think. But mostly it just looked like a creosote wasteland. The route went through some of this state land to avoid the roads, so at least it was easy walking over the hard-packed open playa. I put my umbrella up because it started getting really hot by 10 am. My thermometer was reading over 80 by 11.
I reached the outskirts of town, immersed in all the planning and chores I needed to do. I’d been stressing hard about the water situation, realizing I needed to set some caches for the next section. I’d either have to rent a car or find somebody that could help. I reached out to a Facebook contact to see if he knew anyone in the area or where I could rent a car, and he responded right away saying that he could set the caches himself. Gary works for a courier service, delivering samples from all over the area. He’d be driving right by one of the cache locations later this same day and could do it then! He also offered to set 2 more caches at critical points.
I was so worried that this chore might take up my whole town day, if it was even feasible, and instead I already had the details worked out before I got to town! What incredible luck! It also helped that I had cell service the whole way through this section, plus easy walking allowing me to mess with my phone.
My first stop in town was at 1 of the 2 Dollar Generals. I wondered why such a small town needed 2, plus a Family Dollar, but both DGs were well stocked with a great selection of hiker trash food items. I kind of hate giving the dollar stores my business because they have such a poor track record in how they treat their employees and also put other mom and pop stores out of business (John Oliver did a great expose on this). Of course for the latter reason, they are often the only option in a small town. But also, the small sample sizes are perfect for a solo hiker. Walmart and Costco are my least favorite places to shop for a resupply because everything is packaged in bulk.
Next I walked over a mile to the post office, which was oddly on the far outskirts of town. I mailed my EE top quilt to a friend, since it didn’t look like I’d be needing it for the next couple weeks. An elderly man saw me repacking in the hallway and asked if I needed some help. The thought of walking a mile and a half in the heat back to where my Airbnb was was on the top of my mind. I could sure use a ride, I said. So he waited for me to mail my quilt and I happily jumped in this stranger’s truck. He was on an oxygen bottle, so I didn’t deem him to be much of a threat. In our short ride, I told him about my plans to walk to San Diego, which ironically was where he was originally from. Also ironically, since I met him at the PO, he had worked for the post service his whole life and was now retired in AZ City. I could tell he was a kind soul but of course I got all the standard warnings about how what I was doing wasn’t safe…you mean like getting rides with strangers? More irony.
He waited until I got the door unlocked for my Airbnb, noticing that there was a suspicious car parked outside. I got inside, settled into my cozy room and breathed a sigh of relief. This Airbnb was a shared house with a couple other guests and the 2 hosts, who appeared to have a studio set up inside their garage, where they resided. Luca and Lina were very nice and attentive and gave me a brief tour. I was amused by how they were managing to squeeze every bit of space out of the house, including a hideaway room with a blow-up mattress and draw curtain separating the living room. Gotta love the gig economy. That option was only $38 a night but I opted to pay a bit more to have my own room with four walls and a door to lock. Worth it!
As weird as it may seem to share spaces with a bunch of strangers, it’s really not that different or safer than a hotel room, plus I think a lot nicer. It’s the modern day equivalent to a hostel, giving guests access to a shared kitchen, laundry and other nice amenities. I got to hang out with one of the guests, who was a silver smith and in town for a nearby rock and mineral show. So interesting! Also I learned that Luca was from Macedonia and had lived near where the Croatian Long Distance Trail goes by. Maybe that will be my next trail?
I got all my chores done and had a very restful night in my lovely room. It was a short but very productive town stop! But I didn’t even see the main drag of town or eat at one of the few restaurants. Oh well. I don’t think I missed much.