The trail magic started early today with several water jugs and a cooler full of sodas left just before the first road crossing. I then caught up to a fellow hiker who had decided to skip ahead to Washington before the weather turned, and when her parents picked her up at the next road the back of their SUV was filled with beer, snacks, and Gatorade. I strolled past a small hydroelectric dam and beautiful reservoir where people were fishing, watching the morning light dance across the rippling water.
Soon after I ran into Lightning and another hiker who unfortunately had gotten heat exhaustion from the previous day’s trek across Hat Creek Rim. Luckily a guest ranch was nearby, and after offering him some water and making sure he was good to make it to the ranch I continued on my way to Burney Falls State Park. I caught up to Vick (Snooze) and Ronan on the way in, and together we raided the camp store for microwave Jimmy Dean’s breakfast sandwiches and canned margaritas to enjoy in the shade of some nearby picnic tables. It was here in the Lime-a-Rita induced euphoria where I was finally given a trail name: Lunch Hermit, or Lermit for short (based on one random occasion when I had lunch by myself at a scenic spot a hundred feet away from the path – trail names are like that).
Happily filled with food and drink we walked the short way down to the base of the falls, where a thundering cascade of water crashed into a large rocky pool. I rested my feet in the icy water while Vick and Ronan proceeded to jump off a boulder into the misty lagoon, yelling their shock and joy to the sky and the surprised tourists nearby.
Russell on the Road 