I had not called the Inn earlier in the day, so I was definitely taking a risk by calling after 8pm.
I thought this was just a standard inn, but it’s actually just a house that is being used for special visitors, hikers - it was likely previously bed and breakfast.
Fortunately the owner answered her cell phone, and was more than happy to let me stay after I confirmed that I was a hiker.
Three other hikers were already booked, so I got the larger room with a queen that hikers usually don’t get.
Nice.
One other hiker, Bryce, showed up at about the same time with his truck, scheduled to start hiking the opposite way for the next 4 days.
Bryce was my hero, because he drove us both to a Mexican restaurant and bought my enchiladas.
My eyes began to normalize to the warm air of heated civilization, causing me to tear up involuntarily.
Or it could have been happiness about my free enchiladas. There’s really no way to know.