Day 1 - (4/26/12) - The Adventure Begins

Contents:  Camp to Lake Morena County Park (20.6 miles)

Today was a great day!  After a terrific breakfast, we left for the southern terminus a little before 6:00.  I think the drive took just over an hour.  When we arrived at the border, the thermometer in the car read 48 degrees and it was raining and blowing hard.  I definitely could have been in the Pacific Northwest.  I took the obligatory photos at the monument and stuck my arm through the fence into Mexico. The fence was actually quite puny and I considered climbing over it. However, I thought better after deciding that falling off and breaking an ankle would not be an optimal way to start my thru-hike.

Leaving the trail head wasn't nearly as climatic as I had anticipated.  I had expected it to feel like the beginning of a marathon or even more powerful, but it actually just felt like the start of any old adventure.  If anything, it was less exciting than many, as I didn't have my usual case of summit fever or visions of joyous powder turns from skiing in my future.  It was still a very pleasant experience though.  

The hiking went well and I felt strong.  I mostly walked by myself but reconvened with others during breaks.  It sprinkled on and off during the day but wasn't at all miserable and the conditions generally improved throughout the day.  The scenery was quite diverse and kept me occupied.  Southern California has received a fair amount of rain recently so the dessert is lush.  I also noticed a lot of granite which I didn't expect to see.

All of my gear worked flawlessly.  Most importantly, my new pack felt amazing.  We already have a great working relationship, and I am thinking about naming her The Green Bean.  I'm trying not to get too caught up in the ultralight frenzy and therefore didn't weigh her fully loaded before leaving San Diego, but I'm guessing she would have weighed in around 30 pounds.  In addition, my homemade stove seemed to work as well or better than many others, and without a doubt, I have the most popular tent on the trail.  Although it's only day 1, I'm feeling really good about my gear choices.

This evening I ate dinner with new friends and then we went to a couple kick-off party activities, namely "Who Wants to Be a PCT Thru-Hiker: (think Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?-cheesy, but fun) and some book readings.  All in all, it was a nice way to wrap up a successful day.

Tomorrow, I plan to take it easy, check out a few presentations, and perhaps stroll into Lake Morena Village to pick up some additional snacks.  I'm usually extra hungry in the mountains, and today was no exception.  I plowed through all of my food allocated for today down to my orange peel (I don't know why I've never thought to eat this in the past - it is actually very tasty).  I'm definitely going to be eating a ton this summer!

Off to bed now.  Goodnight!

Day 0 - 4/25/12 - Greetings From San Diego

I made it to San Diego, and all is well! After a tasty waffle breakfast made by my friend Robert and a stress-free ride to the airport courtesy of Mandie, I knew my day was off to a great start.  Sensing luck was on my side, I decided to try my hand with the TSA at SeaTac and made it through security with a knife, trekking poles, and tent stakes.  YAY!  I was pretty proud of myself and stoked I avoided paying $20.00 to check my pack.

Once I landed in San Diego, I only had to wait about 15 minutes for Frodo, who picked me up as well as two other hikers who arrived at almost the same time.  I knew I was in the right place when Kathleen, a girl from Portland, walked up and gave me a huge hug.  I guess you just know a thru-hiker when you see one, and I immediately felt at home.

The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent relaxing.  I walked to the grocery store and picked up a Gatorade for tomorrow and a bottled water which I drank.  I then refilled the bottle with some denatured alcohol that Scout and Frodo had on hand for our stoves.  I headed to Jim and Jan's house where I'm actually staying tonight.  Jim and Jan live just a few blocks from Scout and Frodo and are also hosting thru-hikers.  Between the two houses, there are probably about 40 of us.  It's pretty awesome! We enjoyed a spaghetti dinner, and it's been fun getting to know people.  I've already made new friends.

Tomorrow the plan is to rise early, eat breakfast at Scout and Frodo's house, and then head for the border a little before 6:00 AM.  I'm excited to finally start hiking!

California Dreamin'

The adventure is finally here!  Tomorrow morning I'll be bound for warm and sunny So Cal!  

Yesterday was my last day of work.  It went really well, and I had time to say goodbye to most of my co-workers, though there were definitely a few I missed.  It felt strange not going to work this morning. Transitions have always been hard for me, and I feel a little out of sync today.  As silly as this may sound, I also feel a little guilty about not working.  However, I know I'll be back in the work world before long and I won't regret taking this break. Also, in a couple more days, my job will be the trail.  Once I've settled into to my new normal, I'm sure the corporate world will seem light years away.
  

The past week and a half has been a lot of fun.  It has definitely felt like vacation, and there were days when I was surprised I even remembered to go to work!  I've had a great time enjoying the awesome Seattle weather with friends.  Moving out of my apartment early made things a lot less stressful.  Thanks to all the friends who have given me a place to crash and made me part of your daily routines.  I hope to return the favor someday!
     

I'm not 100% sure how my blog entries are going to work going forward, but I think most of them will be handwritten and mailed to my parents who will make the updates.  Hopefully, I'll sometimes have time to post entries from libraries along the way as well.  

If you'd like to get in touch with me, you can always shoot me an email or give me a call.  I definitely want to hear from you!  I'd also love to get letters, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, etc.  The best way to get something to me is to mail it to my parents, and they'll add it to my next mail drop.  Their address is as follows:  

          1334 G St.

          Anchorage, AK 99501

Thanks again for the support!  Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers during the next few days!  

Down to the Wire

The countdown is on, and I’m busy wrapping up my life in Seattle.  My parents flew down from Anchorage for the weekend, and they helped me move out of my apartment and put my belongings in storage.  For the next week and a half, I’ll be staying with various friends and house/cat-sitting.  It’s really nice being able to relax and spend so much time with friends now that most of my preparations are finished.  Special thanks go to Heidi and Shamus for giving me a permanent address and a home for my car while I’m on the trail. 

I’ve made a few last minute gear changes.  My parents were kind enough to buy me a new camera which runs on AA batteries, so I’ll be able to leave my camera charger and spare camera batteries behind.  I think this will save about half a pound of weight.  I’ve also switched up my water treatment system.  I’d been planning to use bleach to treat my water per Red Cross instructions but just decided to invest in the Sawyer Squeeze Filter System.  The Sawyer Squeeze is super light, and it will allow me to drink my water immediately, unlike the bleach which has a minimum 30 minute treatment time.  Also, I should be able to store water in the Sawyer Squeeze pouch which will reduce the number of water bottles I have to carry.  My only concern is whether the pouch is durable enough, but I can always change to bleach if it’s not working once I’m on the trail. 

My last day at work is going to be Monday, the 23^rd, and I’ll be flying down to San Diego on Wednesday, the 25^th.  When I arrive in San Diego, Scout and Frodo, two famous trail angels, will be picking me up at the airport, giving me (and other hikers) a place to stay for the night, and then driving us to the southern terminus early Thursday morning.  From there, I’ll have a 20 mile first day to the Kick-off Party in Lake Morena.      

A side note about trail angels…. Trail angels are amazing people who help hikers along the way.  They make our trips possible (and so much more fun!) by stocking water caches in the desert and providing rides, showers, meals, places to stay, trail magic (random acts of kindness along the trail), and so much more.  People living in communities near the PCT go so far out of their way to help thru-hikers succeed.  I’ve read countless blogs where hikers have said over and over how their faith in humanity was totally restored on the trail.  It really is incredible, and I’m excited to be part of this big family.

Have a great day!  Thanks for all the positive thoughts! 

Heading Toward Crunch Time

I wanted to give everyone a quick update!

I ran the Yakima River Canyon Marathon on March 31st and had a fantastic race.  It was my fastest marathon yet.  Thanks for all the positive vibes!  Now I’m looking forward to joining my mom next April for her first Boston Marathon.  We’ll be a tough duo, and Boston will be a great motivator to get back into running shape after the PCT. 

I gave notice at work last week.  I had been anxious about jumping this hurdle but have been completely overwhelmed by support from my colleagues.  Someone recently asked me what I was most scared about regarding the PCT.  I think they expected me to respond with a comment about the physical toll or mental challenge.  It only took me a second of thought to admit that I was most scared about quitting my job.  I will have been at PACCAR for five years to the day when I leave, and they have been some of the best years of my life.  I became the person I am today during these years, and working at PACCAR gave me the time and mental space to pursue my passions.  I also met many wonderful people who I will miss.  In some ways, leaving PACCAR feels like the end of an era.  However, I know that the door is open, and I may return to my career there in the future.

You’ve probably been wondering about my gear!  I sure have been!  My Gear List tab has finally been updated, and I’m looking at a base pack weight of about 17 pounds.  Base weight includes everything that will be carried on my back with the exception of food, water, and fuel.  I’d been hoping to get my base weight down to 15 pounds, but I’ve done as much elimination as I’m willing to do right now and will just send items home from the trail if I deem them unnecessary. 

Stay tuned for more updates…. Life is about to get a little crazy!