Latikarya to Refuge 1- Greece part III

There are 3 ways to get to the trailhead, which is about 15km up a winding road from Litochoro, which is still 8 km more from Latikarya where our hotel was located: taxi, hitchhike, or walk from Litochoro, which would mean about 5 hours extra of hiking. So while discussing how we would get there, the idea evolved that we could rent a car from the only car rental place within 30 km, which happened to be right in the hotel lobby. Plan was set.
We got up at 6 am to pack and get ready for the ascent of Mt. Olympus. Then we waited for the breakfast buffet to open at 7 am, and stuffed our pockets with figs, dates and bread rolls for the trip. The car rental desk was to open at 8, so we waited around for a few minutes, then Mo and I decided to go back to the room to get the luggage in order (i.e., take a nap). The rental car guy didn't show up until a half hour later, and I have fuzzy memories about what happened during their negotiations, but in the end, we decided it was better to take a taxi to Litochoro, then another to the trail head. So by 11am we were on the trail, when we should have started at 9. There's a little restaurant at the trailhead with big unfriendly signs saying "no backpacks", "we are NOT a refuge". I went in to ask about a toilet and 3 unfriendly men look up: “Toilet?” I said. "Problem." "Problem?" "Problem." I couldn't come back with a better argument, so walked out feeling dejected and with a full bladder. I guess I would just have to hold it.
The trail up to Refuge 1 was beautiful, it started out through a green, lush forest. At one point there was a line of leaning, partially uprooted trees that, if you followed them down the hill looked like a tunnel. I wonder what would've caused that? Then we crossed a dry riverbed and the forest turned to pine. Looking at the ravine below you could follow exactly where an avalanche had swept by, knocking over the trees on one side then another like a wave. Three hours later we crossed the remaining bits of a snow patch and looked up to see the refuge. It did not come a minute too soon.