Day 10

6,000ft of up in 21.5mi.. getting us into Summerheaven. I had only12% battery for the whole day. You can't do very much with 12%... my powerpack was exasperated from doing night lapses and listening to, to much music.  Very few photos could be taken because it had to be kept off. I needed to conserve what little battery I had for emergency navigation. When I got to the trail head Marshall Gulch a mile from town. I decided not to wait for the guys there but to walk into town and grab some food. I was starving and had only eaten about 1000 calories for the day. I walked the mile up the road and saw a sign saying open. Pizza and Cookies. Perfect.. I went in and realized that they were closing at 5pm. It was 4:48.. I had just made it in time. The people in front of me were ordering and I was shuffling my weight back and forth on my feet to keep them from hurting. it wasnt really helping. They were done ording, so I stepped up.
"Hey I just heard you've got cookies the size of dinner plates?"
Yup...
"so im going to need 3 of those."
Just chocolate chip or white chocolate?
"2 chocolate chip and one white, did I hear you have chilly too?"
Yup...
"I'll take some of it, so no pizza then? "
Well we have two slices left, pepperoni or cheese which would you like?
"I'll take both, you wouldn't happen to have soda back there?"
Yup.. what would you like?
"3 cokes"
do you want a box to carry it all in?
"Yes please, take my money"
Some on the trail, trail magic for my buds, who are still out there hiking. This day was particularly tough. Random people in the bakery started asking me questions when I was waiting for the food to be prepared.
"are those gators?"
-Yeah they're dirtygirl gators. They are great for the dirt and stickers but you want something tougher for the snow. I said.
"Are you a Thru-Hiker?" This other person asked me from his seated position against the wall.
-yes sir, I'm on the Arizona Trail now.
"You going to be by Zion?"
-not on this trail but next month you may see me walking through. I'll benon the Hayduke then. Keep an eye out for me ;-)

My food was ready and I headed outside to an electrical outlet. Plugged in my phone and chowd down on my peace of pizza. Got my phone to 30% asked the girl working there if she minded me leaving my things charging on the porch over night. She hesitated and said, "oh I don't mind if you think it'll be safe" sure I said. When all the workers had locked up and left I took my rav pawerpack and camera battery to a plug in the back of the bakery. Got my box of goodies and started my hobble backwards a mile down trail to await the Maniac and BirdDog as they stumbled there way out of this brutal day. I see a new hiker on the road and say hi. He's also hiking the AZT and he's the tracks we'd been following. I asked him if he'd seen my buddies recently. He had and that made me happy that they had made it through the steepest part of the climb. I gave the thru-hiker a part of my cookie because the place was closed. He was physiced I could tell. Then we went our separate ways. I sat down back at the trail head that I had done my share of stumbling out of about an hour and a half prior. I sat down and began to wait. I started eating my cookie and some of the chilli. I had already had my pizza and contimplated esting there slice. Drank my coke and then pulled out my flute. I played for a bit then listened. Played then listened. Soon I could hear some voices and so I played. It was them atlas. Welcome to your feast boys. You deserve it. Day 10 is in the books. Ending filled with smiles