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!
GO KRISTY! I'll be thinking about you and The Green Bean tons. Looks like your solid plan has all come together!
ReplyDeleteKristy, I'm so excited for you, and it must be a relief to finally be on the road. Keep the updates coming - you're such a good writer I feel like I'm there. Have an orange peel for me. ;)
ReplyDeleteORANGE PEEL - whoa! I will have to try that in your honor.
ReplyDeleteI had a peanut butter and nutella sandwich in your honor on my hike on Saturday. :-)