Brothels & Hot Dogs

I sat bolt upright in my tent at 6am. It was time. Time to hike to Sunflower.

rehydrated bluebs & sausage for brekky on-the-go

Before you go and get warm, fuzzy feelings about a “town” called Sunflower let me set you straight REAL quick. It is not the quintessential trail town that thru-hiker dreams are made of. There is no bakery called the gingerbread house. There’s no breakfast café. No local brewery. No chippy with a massive selection of fried sustenance. No adorable library. No thrift shop with Hawaiian print button-ups.

No, Sunflower is a fart in the wind on Highway 87 that has a tow yard/rundown farmhouse.

cruising in to Sunflower

I bumped into a hiker* at the trail signage for the AZT vs. the water source who also informed me that said rundown farmhouse used to be a brothel. To which I replied “I love a little scandal with my trail magic.” (My bestie Sardeña was meeting us at Sunflower with Trail Magic!)

***The trail community is such a small, niche one. The hiker I bumped into after chatting for a moment said “I know you – I met you on the PCT in 2019 at Snoqualmie Pass” And he was right! It was Hulk, who I had brewskis with at Dru Bru!***

water stop on the way to Sunflower

G-Snail, Spud, myself, (and now Hulk) bushwhacked with me up to the highway intersection of 87 at the tow yard and not 5 minutes later, Sardeña pulled up. She had gas station hot dogs on her dash keeping warm, cream cheese pastries, ice-cold electrolytes beverages, a Dr. Pepper for G-Snail, a “guinney” for Spud (lol a Guinness), and one of my faves – a probiotic soda.

And in true hikertrash fashion we sat on the asphalt under the scraggly shade of desert flora right next to a pile of week old horse manure – without a care in the world, and feeling richer than most people do in their lifetimes.

Saying goodbye to Spud and G-Snail while getting in the car with Sardeña was bittersweet. But I know I’ll see my boys again. Might have to pull some marathons but our paths will cross again on this trail, I just know it. 

The AZT OG3

Never stop exploring. Embrace the suck. I. Believe. In. YOU. kk ily <3>

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