#suches

Firmly rooted and connected to everything I am made of....🌻☀🌱🌿🌲🌳🌈🐝

Georgia 🍑

Laguna #Suches y Volcán #Tutupaca https://www.instagram.com/p/BvPzwwGF-U1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1nqtt22niwxkv

Pueblo de Huaytite, bajo el volcán #Tutupaca (entre nubes) y al lado de la laguna #suches, es la población más septentrional de #Tacna. (en Huaytire)

Our hike for the day was just five miles, which would bring us to Woody Gap, where we could catch a shuttle to a local hostel. Our first choice was Hiker Hostel in Delohnega, since we could get a private room there, but they were booked for the night. Instead, we reserved a room for the next night and decided to stay at the Hog Pen Gap Country Store and Hostel in Suches. We'd heard they didn't have much in the way of resupply, but that there was pizza in town. Knowing that we had relatively few miles to cover that day, we were in no hurry to get going. We slept a bit later than the previous day, had breakfast, and Anthony helped me tend my feet. When we finally did start moving, the going was slow. I was stiff and my feet still hurt considerably, and Anthony had to pause frequently to adjust to load on his back. There wasn't a lot of climbing or descending, but what little there was I definitely felt. I was concentrating so hard on walking that I don't remember too much about the hike. I developed a mantra, "don't look forward, don't look back," that I chanted to myself while staring at the ground immediately in front of me. I fantasized about the pizza in my future--maybe one all to myself!--with a hot, tender crust, no cheese, and extra vegetables, steaming and fresh from the oven. This got me through the day, and we finally emerged at Woody Gap. We called the Country Store and they said they could pick us up in 15 minutes or so. Rejoice! While we waited, we talked with a hiker named Lego whose gear and clothing were all various shades of green, to Anthony's approval. He had managed to get a bed at the Hiker Hostel for the night, so when our ride arrived we parted ways. We threw our packs in the rear of a gold pickup truck, stepped up to the cab, and sat down in the rear seats. A courteous man in a baseball cap was at the wheel, and a chubby, smiling dog was riding shotgun. We made smalltalk during the short ride to the Country Store, and then set our bags out front while we checked in. We signed in and paid for the night, then browsed the food selection which was, as others had noted, meager. Still, I grabbed a couple of flavors of potato chips and some instant oatmeal. The lady at the counter explained how laundry worked, and we browsed around for a couple minutes more. It was then that we saw the pizza sign. This was the pizza place? I began to have my doubts, and sure enough, when we asked if they could make a pizza without cheese they said they were premade. Anthony ordered his, but I just grabbed a two more flavors of potato chips and sulked. I grabbed the laundry bin and went upstairs to eat my chips so at least I wouldn't have to watch Anthony eat the pizza. But when he came upstairs and started eating it at the table, I slunk outside to eat my potato chips in peace. When I went back in, he asked how I was doing. "Grumpy," I snapped, before I noticed the lady sitting next next to him. Her eyes widened slightly, and I tried to backpedal, but the impression was made. Damn, what had gotten into me? Why was I so despondent over a pizza? Then I went to the bathroom and noticed that my pee was unusually dark. Ah, that could have something to do with it. I filled my water bladder and started sipping steadily. Then my turn came to take a shower, and I was finally able wash nearly 4 days of grime from my face and body. By the time I spread out on the lawn outside to rebandage my blisters, I was feeling much better. Still no pizza, but that was a manageable disappointment now. Before we went to bed for the night, Anthony was able to pull 10-12 pounds of gear from his pack, which was bound to make his hike a lot easier going forward. I also saw Green Monkey briefly! She had sent me a text to let me know she'd be there but I hadn't even had a chance to check my phone yet. She said a sleepy hello, then almost immediately retreated to her bunk again. She seemed exhausted. As for the hostel itself... The owners were really nice and helpful, so I wish I had better things to say about it. Unfortunately I can't really recommend it. There are 6-10 bunks per room, constructed from plywood with a thin sheet of foam laid on top. Those who slept on top said they worried about falling off most of the night. The temperature inside fluctuated from hot to cold. There was a single bathroom and shower for about 20 people, and it wasn't particularly clean. I don't think anyone slept very well, and some people even moved their sleeping bags to the floor of the common room for a little more quiet and privacy. And the price, at $20 per person, is hardly a bargain. On the plus side, there is hot food for people who enjoy pizza and wings. They can ship flat rate boxes, whereas I understand some other places can charge a lot to mail things. There are many friendly dogs roaming the property. When we were there, there were even kittens in the laundry room.

Suches, GA, 7/8/11