This is it then, the final day with Coyote. We reached Hikertown, the place where our shared journey ends. After being together for this long, it feels weird and sad. I still half expect us to get up together tomorrow, plan out the next water source and head off. We shared so much together: nature, community on the trail, bad and good nights of sleep, desires and thoughts about life. The trail has a way of cutting through the smalltalk and instantly going to more important things.
Hikertown was a good place to end though. The final stop, a weird movieset like oasis in the middle of nowhere, before everyone heads off into the dreaded aquaduct section. Jive Turkey, Machine, Tommyhawk, Remedy, Gnome, Lost and Found and Calves were there. Gnome told me I should hike with them, though I fear they’re a bit too fast for me sadly. On one hand I’m worried I’ll feel lost without Coyote, but on the other I’ve made plenty of friends here that I can hang out with.
Calves told me someone named The Dude was planning to night hike the aquaduct with as many people as possible, all with glowsticks in hand, dubbed ‘Dudefest’. Not sure I want to stick around for that.
I feel as if Coyote and I went from cousins to real friends over the course of this month. Usually, travelling together is the ultimate test, but we passed it, with little to no conflicts, our paces, preferences and general attitude towards things matching up. As he himself said, we made a good team. I’ll sure as hell push him to do the entire trail next year.
We held the goodbye party at the Wee Vill market, close to Hikertown. Besides Spices’ group, Laura/Solemate (for some reason, she’s still Laura in my head) showed up as well, with her boyfriend Rainer, and High Five and No Bear.
Lavalamp and I will head out tomorrow morning to tackle the aquaduct by day, the others continuing in the afternoon.
❤️