Julian
As we arrived in Julian, we started shivering once again - the town is high up and it was already late in the afternoon. We found ourselves in a Wild West movie set with wooden buildings and covered passages. We dropped off our stuff at Julian's lodge, which had been reserved by our friend Alex "Cucumber." Four guys with all their gear, and none of us had showered in four days. The room quickly became a mess, filled with equipment and stinky socks. We took a quick shower and headed out to eat. We were starving by the time we arrived at Brewster Company.
The guys ordered pizzas that were gigantic, and I opted for the massive pork ribs. The beer was pretty decent, some of which was brewed on site. After dinner, we stopped at the grocery store and then headed back to the lodge to catch some shut-eye. The room was large with two beds, each 160 centimeters wide, which we shared two-by-two. The hot shower was a moment of pure bliss after being so cold.
The next day began with our free slice of pie at Mom's. I picked up a package that contained my clothes, and it was a luxury to put on cotton clothes again. Since there was no self-service laundry in town, we went to the lodge's laundry room. Our muscles were sore, so we tried to rest as much as possible.
In the evening, we had dinner at a Mexican restaurant called Quecho, which served excellent food. Afterwards, we went back to Brewster Company to have a drink with the other hikers. Many hikers were there, and some were already quitting. The first few days had caused numerous injuries, and some decided it wasn't for them. I guess that's just the way it goes.
But not for me. I had been so happy, every day, until then.
Practically speaking, Julian is an hour east of San Diego, and it's pretty easy to find your way there if you have any trouble. The town is very welcoming to PCT hikers and has a gear shop called 2 Foot Adventures, run by PCT enthusiasts who also provide regular rides to the trail. Their prices are reasonable.
Accommodation options are limited, so reservations are recommended. We stayed at Julian Lodge, which offers a basic breakfast but is quite welcoming to hikers and has a well-stocked "Hiker Box" given the number of people who change their gear at this stage of the adventure.
Most importantly, Julian is the home of Mom's Pie, which offers a delicious slice of pie with ice cream if you show your permit. Don't abuse the system, but go back and pay like I did. That pie is the best I've had in the USA.
There are two stores in town that offer plenty of food, so there's no need to send a package here, especially Julian Market & Deli. Prices are those of small isolated towns (expensive), but not to the extent that it's worth sending a package here. The post office is located at the edge of town, and the staff is lovely.
For dining, I recommend Quecho, a Mexican restaurant with fresh and delicious food. Otherwise, the Julian Brewster Co brewery is an institution.
The Pioneer Museum is run by volunteers, so it's open sporadically, as I found out the hard way.
Leaving Julian to get to the next town takes a day and a half to Montezuma Market and about four days to reach Paradise Valley Coffee, where you can go to Idyllwild. Both of these places have good choices for resupply.
