PCT, Day 47

The night was cold, just above zero degrees Celsius. My ride is punctual, and I arrive in Ridgecrest around 8:00 a.m. I am in the desert valley now, and it is already hot. I go to the gastroenterology office and learn that there is no appointment available until December. I call places in two bigger towns about 160 km from here, but there is nothing available until the end of July.

Then I walk in 40 degrees Celsius heat for about 4 km to drop my backpack at the budget hotel I booked.

I walk further to Walmart and talk to a pharmacist there about how I could get test kits to find out what is going on. He tells me I have to go through urgent care to get access to those kits, meaning walking those 4 km back again.

Before that, I go to Walmart Vision and inquire about new glasses. I learn that I need to have a prescription for that. Great. But I also learn that twice a week, there is someone coming there who can prescribe, and the next time is tomorrow afternoon.

At least this seems to be getting somewhere. I choose a new frame for my glasses and will organize the prescription tomorrow. The glasses will take 8-10 days, but they can be send to a post office for me to pick up. After that, I get some food and check into the hotel.

Then I walk again those 4 km to get to urgent care. The doctor there orders a bunch of tests. I have to walk to the hospital to get part of it done, but I have to go back tomorrow morning again. Another test kit will have to be sent to an address that I have to give them.

Anyway, I will be occupied with this again tomorrow morning, and if my insurance is not yet bankrupt, it will be soon. I had to pay almost another $900 today for urgent care and tests. Tomorrow afternoon, I will get the glasses organized and some of the resupply for the next section. I will book another night in the hotel so that the day after tomorrow, I can rest for a day.

Since my new Lowa shoes are falling apart, I placed a new order with Lowa yesterday with overnight express shipping (shipping: $45). I hoped it would arrive tomorrow, but I learned that the shoes have not yet been dispatched.
I enjoy the bed in the Hotel.

Road walking in Ridgecrest:

My current glasses with the individual design to hold the left glass in place:

Restroom for everyone: