It is April 19 and I’m doing something very unusual for me, which is I’m taking two zeros in one place. A zero is hiker lingo for a day in which one walks 0 miles. After walking 344 miles I’ve landed in lovely oasis owned by trail angels Becky and Scott in Tonto Basin Arizona. And to top it off, a friend of mine from Canada who is boondocking for six months in the United States was in the area so she is here with me.

Normally, this is when I would get a lot of my writing done and post some blogs, but I just have not been able to force myself to write. It’s been tough this last section from Kearney to here and it’s like my brain needs a rest along with my body.

This last section had some 10 pound water carries when I had to carry enough to get me from water to a place where I would dry camp. It also had a lot of walking on big loose rock. But the hardest part of all was that it had a number of really steep ups and downs with gains or losses at a rate of more than 1000 feet in a mile. That is steep trail and when you’re going downhill on that with tiny little pebbles under your feet it takes complete concentration not to fall. I was glad I was a skier because I think intuitively that balance kicked in when I started sliding down the hill on the pebbles. I’m convinced it kept me from what would have been a serious fall. Luckily from past experience I’ve learned to lengthen my poles and loosen the shoulder straps on my pack to make going downhill easier. Note I say easier but by no means easy!

I’ve learned many things this past week and have had a lot of thoughts. If I can pull it together, I’ll share some of them with you and update you on the trail to here in the following blogs.

The place I’m in now is an oasis of both non- native plants, which were here when Becky and Scott moved in, and many many native gardens that Becky has created since she moved here. There is more than a mile of trails that winds through orange, lemon, and pomegranate trees which scent the air with an incredible sweetness. Quail, a number of kinds of hummingbirds, including one sitting on a nest, owls, roadrunners, cardinals and many more birds fill the air with their song. And this morning I got up close and personal with a scorpion. I was reaching down to pack up some of my gear and the little critter went running out from beneath my hand. Luckily, I did not get stung.

There are a number of other hikers who are also staying here, including two that I saw three weeks ago and was sure were long ahead of me. Another reminder for me not to make assumptions about hikers who go past me.

There is a wonderful outdoor shower and flush toilet here that Becky and Scott built for the hikers. Becky keeps a trove of robes here for hikers to put on after they’ve taken their shower so they can wash their clothes. I was lucky enough to be given the use of what they call the Bunkie, which is a shed that’s been converted into a lovely little cabin with a bed, table, chair, skylight and electricity. Becky has fed us some wonderful meals. It always amazes me how much people do for us scraggly hikers, and they ask for very little in return. They’re happy if we give them donations to cover their gas money for running us back-and-forth to the trail or bringing us into town. It reminds me that kindness really is one of the greatest things of all. I think trail angels see how much we hikers appreciate their kindness and for them that’s enough of a reason to do it.

And if all of that is not enough, Becky is putting water out for hikers in a dry section of trail. And she’s offered to meet me about 40 miles, or for me 2 1/2 days of hiking, down the trail. This way I can leave here and do the next difficult section carrying only a few days of food rather than the eight days it’ll take me to get to Pine, which will be my next resupply. Becky will meet me at a forest service road with the remaining five days of my resupply.

I thank everyone who’s giving me feedback on my writing or sent me texts or emails of encouragement. It really means a lot and it’s giving me the incentive to write even when part of me doesn’t want to work that hard. I’ll see what else I can get written and posted before the day is out but in the meantime, I’m really enjoying having a completely relaxing day in this lovely oasis.