May 22
Mile 95 to 101
It was still windy and so cold in the morning. I made cold coffee with some protein powder. Is that a thing? Mostly I was in a hurry to get packed up and walking. The sooner I started walking, the sooner I’d get warm. And the sooner I would get to Mile 100.
This was already the longest hike I’d ever done. 100 miles is one 26th of the whole PCT. I wish I’d been able to pull bigger days, but 100 miles by day 8 doesn’t seem too bad. Probably the next 100 will go faster.
A few months ago, while obsessively reading other people’s PCT daily blogs late into the night, I’d come across someone’s story about going to the Mountain Valley Retreat. It sounded too expensive for me but the idea was stuck in my imagination. I saw the phone number on the Guthook app. Back in Julian, I decided to call, just to see if I could afford a treat night. Turns out, it wasn’t expensive at all. I could afford two treat nights if I wanted.
At the 100 mile mark, I found a small crowd taking an uncomfortable break in the direct sunlight. One woman helped me take some pictures. They were all planning on walking into Warner Springs for the bucket shower.
“I’m going to the Yoga Retreat.” I told them about the tipis and yoga. “How far is it?” Hashbrowns asked me.
“I’m supposed to text her from Barrel Springs.” That was in another mile. Hashbrowns called and made her own reservations. Suddenly I had someone to share my tipi with.
Barrel Springs is a nice shady little valley after the long hike through the hills. The water comes out into a big cow trough. There were tadpoles swimming in the water. 
Let me just tell you that Mountain Valley Retreat was everything I was dreaming of. And I had constructed quite a fantasy around this place, especially during those long hot days of hiking from Julian. My first shower in 8 days, even a water stingy CA shower, felt incredible. And while we washed our dirty hiker clothes, we had fluffy white robes to wear. We sat in the shade enjoying some fruit and a homemade kombucha and an epsom salt foot soak. Dinner featured a huge green salad.
Also there were cats. Three of them, all friendly with huge personalities.
If only there was a Yoga Retreat every 100 miles!
Spinstera 
Sweet!
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