PCT Day 17: Day Zero in Big Bear

The ITH (International Travelers Hostel) Big Bear Lake is large and was full of people from all over the world. We had hikers from Norway, the Netherlands, Great Britain, South Africa, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong and Canada, as well as all over the United States, gathered around the kitchen table. Many people were suffering from injuries: plantar fasciitis, severe blisters, foot, knee and back pain, stress fractures and even a bruised tailbone. Others were simply looking for a nice place to rest and recharge before the next section of the PCT.

The ITH has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The price of the night includes both breakfast and a simple but very filling communal dinner. Some of my fellow guests took advantage of the instruments hanging on the walls of the large living room with fireplace, singing and playing, while others of us listened contentedly.

Jimmy, the hostel director, bears a slight resemblance to David Crosby. During my stay people began to call him Saint Jimmy because of his hard work and tireless good humor.

My stay coincided with Cinco de Mayo, a fact that did not go unnoticed. Daisies. karaoke. I won’t say more except to comment that some of the younger hikers who had done their best may have had difficulty on the trail the next day.

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