I was apprehensive to hitchhike considering I smelled like a dead animal and was covered in dirt but to my surprise the second car that passed pulled over to pick me up and I was even happier to see it was a punky metalhead girl listening to Slayer smoking a cigarette and barking at me to get in. it was exactly the type of person I needed to see. She dropped me in town and sped off, and I quickly walked in to the Julian Hotel and booked their last room. So. In true hiker fashion I am laying in my hotel room naked while my clothes are being washed because I have no clothes to spare. the laundry service was one of many reasons I decided to stay in town tonight (cleaning my blisters being goal one) and I'm glad that I did. the last 30 something miles have been incredibly beautiful but again my feet need a rest.
Where I left off last time I was in Mount Laguna after having hiked the first 40 miles of the trail. After one full week on trail I've learned that the trail is much more then just a walk in the wilderness and I'm realizing in all of the hype leading up to the Sierras being so beautiful I neglected to consider how gorgeous everything around me would be from day one. This has been the best oversight in planning! There's a surprising amount of flowers and the cacti are just starting to bloom. I'm also shocked at the elevation changes that I've been able to charge through.. Climbing 3,000 feet then descending 1,000 is typical in a day and it's not that daunting. I haven't weighed myself but I'd bet I've lost at least 5-7 pounds so far, and I'm eager to lose more so I'm lighter on my feet.
Again the sense of community surrounding the PCT is blowing my mind. when I was in Mount Laguna I had a stranger buy me my lunch just because.. I was fed, transported and housed in San Diego by some of the most generous people I've ever met and all along on the trail I've been given fresh fruit, beer and well wishes from people who have known me for a less than 30 seconds. It's pretty incredible. there seems to be a comraderie between hikers as well in that sense of we're all in this hard thing together. I remember back at mile 22 I passed an illegal immigrant coming up from Mexico who had barely anything with him except a little pile of obvious hiker food like granola bars and energy drinks that people had given him. it really drove home the point that we're all out in the desert just trying to make it somewhere and if we can help anyone out, we will, no questions asked. I happily gave him my heaviest snack ;)
As far as the hiking goes I've been holding my own surprisingly well. 15 mile days in the hot desert is nothing to laugh at. I wasn't expecting to be outpacing anybody but I wasn't sure where in the pack I would fall and as of now I'm right about average or below by a few miles on the days that I'm hiking. because I've taken a zero already I'm a day or two behind the lot of the people I started with but I am meeting new people everyday. I'm hoping to get back to bigger miles soon. I have a history of overuse injuries which makes me very quick to try and fix problems as soon as they arise. but I think I need to start ignoring the small stuff a little bit more as it will heal in time. Funny to think what is considered "small stuff" right now!
one of the things that I was nervous about coming into this was camping alone by myself at night. but now I look for places where I can be alone because with me snoring it's the only way to get a good nights rest! I camped in a little nook on the side of a mountain last night and at about 2 a.m. I heard a howling competition between coyotes that sounded pretty close. surprisingly I wasn't afraid like I thought I'd be, though maybe I should have been...perhaps they were actually planning their attack on me.. I've only seen one coyote at a distance standing on the trail a ways back where I had hiked 20 minutes prior but I'm surprised I haven't seen any more considering I'm stepping over their poop every 10 feet. Who knew the PCT was such a popular toilet for the local wildlife! I'm learning so much about coyote duets as I hike ;) I have been first on the trail a couple mornings and I've seen plenty of paw prints fresh in the dirt but I still have yet to see one close up.
I'm all packed up again and ready to take off today with the hopes of making 15 miles since it's a cool day. I'm about two days from Warner Springs, then another 5 or so up to Idlewild. when I have a stronger internet connection I will try to add some pictures. I will probably only be able to upload from my nice camera in big towns where there is an internet cafe. or if anyone has any ideas to use my phone please let me know. ok off I go, wish me luck! :)
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