I had heard a lot about Kennedy Meadows in reading about the PCT, and everyone mentions the General Store, a gathering place for hikers as they prepare to encounter the challenges of the Pacific Crest Trail through the Sierras. Another famous location in Kennedy Meadows is Grumpy Bear, a bar and restaurant where my mom and I stopped for dinner on our way back to Walker Pass on Saturday night. There we sat around the big U-shaped central counter and got to talk to some of the local people there. Pat Peterson sat next to my mom and told us about her dog Spirit, then drew us a lovely, colorful "doodle card" with her original artwork. She's also a trail angel nicknamed "Besty Ross" for her sewing skills as she's patched up some of the clothing of PCT hikers in the past. Scott, one of the owners, graciously let us put the horses in the pipe corrals in his parking lot there while we had dinner; I enjoyed the special of chile rellenos, shredded beef taco, and rice and beans, while my mom had the BBQ beef sandwiche--both were delicious! When I returned the next day to prepare to depart into the Sierras, I was able to board the horses overnight in the corrals at Grumpy Bear, which was a wonderful kindness that the horses and I greatly appreciated.

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