This blog post was originally posted on The Trek right here.

Stats:

Miles: 495.3- 532.5

Days: 23- 27

Superior town.

We decided to take a zero in Superior. A zero day is a rest day when you walk zero miles. Thru-hikers take that very seriously. You can walk 25 miles every day, but on your zero you’ll calmly declare that a restaurant one mile away is too far to walk to.

We were hosted by one of the best Trail Angels — MJ and her cat, Daisy — and what incredible hosts they were!

MJ picked us up, gave us a bed, cooked breakfast, and made root beer floats (ice cream floating in root beer) — something I’d only heard about but never tasted. I thought it was a modern invention, but apparently it was “invented” in the 19th century by a guy staring at a mountain. True hiker-trash spirit — you look at nature and think of food.

Halloween spirit

In the evening, MJ told us to go look at her neighbor’s Halloween decorations — and oh my god, that garden display deserved some kind of decoration Oscar. It had sound, lights, and moving props! I clung to their fence like a creepy grown-up child, watching the spectacle, hoping they wouldn’t call the cops on me.

At the Family Dollar I found something I’d been searching for since before the trail: battery-operated fairy lights for my tent. My old ones broke ages ago. Finally, my tent is going to be cozy again — and these aren’t just any lights, they’re pumpkins and cats!

Walking to Kearny

The section between Superior and Kearny is majestical. We took a slight alternate route out of Superior through Telegraph Canyon, because we like shortcuts. For those who use FarOut — see the picture below with the green line. Telegraph Canyon is that green bit that doesn’t follow the blue or brown lines. It started nicely, but about half a mile in it turned into flood-damaged chaos, so it took some scrambling and climbing through branches to get through this “shortcut.” Not sure if I’d recommend it.

Once we rejoined the trail, it was a breezy climb with amazing views.

I started this trail in well-worn Altra Lone Peaks that I bought in spring, so they weren’t in great shape to begin with. Now the tread is completely gone, so every now and then I perform something that looks like a cross between a bad ice-skating routine and a stroke. Usually the poles save me — so far I’ve only fallen once.

Aggressive Flora

I don’t even need to fall to get injured, though. On that beautiful day I was so enchanted by the views that I forgot to look where I was going and drifted slightly off-trail. I looked down and saw the trail three steps below me, so I started carefully going down. One step, two steps, and then — OUCH! Something stabbed my leg. I lifted it up and there it was: a green cactus ball performing some extremely painful acupuncture on me. I tried to grab it — impossible, too spiky. Eventually I used a trekking pole to unstick it from my skin, which was harder than it sounds — that cactus really wanted to stay.

Low Point of AZT

In these spirits we reached the Lowest Point of the Arizona Trail. The legend says that from here it only gets better… We camped nearby with a swarm of mosquitoes. To escape them, all I needed to do was spend 20 minutes zipping up my tent, which — much like my shoes — is starting to give up. I don’t blame it. That Zpacks has served me for two full thru-hikes before this one.

Oh — and right before the lowest point, I stumbled upon something I knew existed on this trail but had completely forgotten about: a desert tortoise!

Kearny!

The next day we walked into Kearny.

Kearny is the friendliest hiker town on this planet. We didn’t even make it to the highway to start hitching when a man stopped and offered us a ride.

We walked into the IGA, and immediately someone told us that hikers get a free donut and coffee.

Since then, people have been waving at us, asking if we have everything we need, and wishing us safety. Every time we enter that store, they ask if we’ve already gotten our donut and coffee.

They started a “hiker map” this year where AZT hikers pin their country, so when you see that odd lonely pin in Lithuania — that’s me.

We might just stay here for Halloween.

Superior to Kearny. Aggressive plants, tortoises, and zeros you can never have too many.