Journey Day 41 | PCT Day 41

Fairmont Inn, Mojave Desert

5/27/85

We sleep late anticipating replay of yesterday morning’s weather that never comes. We prepare for the six-mile hike to the Fairmont Inn, another PCT haven, then another walk through the night in the desert.

They moved the reservoir, so we’re slightly lost getting around it. Then we’re truly lost getting to the Fairmont Inn. We end up at a nearby ranch.  For once I was right, but Keith’s will sent us the other way. Finally we cross a field to the inn. Paradise found!

Inside the funky café, Betty and Randy Morgan’s hospitality and food, and Keith and I relax to country and Tommy Dorsey tunes.

A call to Mary lacks energy, bad connection. Games of pool are fun, although I scratch on the 8-ball. Memorial Day memories… As we sit, Ken and Gwen Alley, UC Santa Cruzites, stop in and we swap stories, talk of the California Boys.

Drink too many beers and a milk shake. Betty comes by for a talk. The have an extensive register for hikers, as well as photos and post cards to them from past hikers. They’re like PCT parents.

Overnight lodging, showers available, but we head out near dark. Stumble off, seemingly at a record pace. We end up too far east, push off the trail to California 138, which we thought was Rosamond Boulevard, from the trail guide.

Hike a bit further, then crash at the intersection of  130th and Avenue B, actually the middle of nowhere.