#becausethruhiking

[hikertrash101]

April 16, PCT 2018 Day 4

Can you spot the grasshopper?! Camouflage in the desert was impressive all around.

[hikertrash101]

April 16, PCT 2018 Day - 4 To past Mount Laguna

(L: my tent setup R: a Jerusalem cricket!)

Our site was so windy the night before and a lite rain and even a few flakes flew. We weren’t too far outside of Laguna and planned to get breakfast. Fueled by the thought of food we rushed to town. On the way we bumped into a friend for the AT!

(Happs outside the Pinehouse Cafe in Laguna)

In town we got breakfast and supplies and took our sweet time charging our devices. We were still biding time for Gargoyle to catch up. We met Orange, Asian Bill and others. After spending most of the day just bumbing around Laguna we headed out to try and find a camp spot. I headed out first and Happs was going to catch up later.

I passed the water fountain which was a completely covered in bees. Literally hundreds of honey bees. I could not find anything even remotely good for camping. A lot of the land was private or belonged to the pay site that we were avoiding. After walking probably 5 extra miles and right around dusk I found a site that was suitable for the two of us and set up. By the time Happs made it I was setup for cowboy camping. I took care of business and watched the sunset. We cooked dinner in our sleeping bags and caught up on he days events.

[hikertrash101]

April 13th, PCT 2018 San Diego - 3 Prehike

Lindsay dropped me off at Scout and Frodo’s, a trail-famous hostel in San Diego. I settled in and sorted out a spot for myself. Everything was very hectic, sorting out rides and such. I elected to go with a man trailnamed “Mango”. To the airport, bus and train stations to tangle up all of the nights guests. There were The Catalonians - the first to attempt the trail if I’m not mistaken. This in the shadow of the unrest in Catalonia and strife for independence. There were a few folks I would come to know later as Trail family and only realize that they were even at Scout and Frodo’s because of the photos. Fireball, King Aurthor, Smokebeard, and Slug would all become big parts of my hike. At the airport we picked up Happy Feet! I hadn’t seen him since he left in 2014!

The night was filled with cautionary tails and comradery. We were told about “Happy Days” an older hiker from Asia who succumbed to the desert the day before. His death was a morbid pink elephant.

Happs and I went to the store and caught up. It was great. He was like an old roommate. After a big communal dinner we did our chores, packed everything up and prepped for the start of our 2650 mile walk that would start in. The morning.

[hikertrash101]

April 13, PCT 2018 San Diego - 2

The Pacific

One of my big goals for San Diego was to see the ocean. I had never seen the Pacific! It was certainly exciting to see! We stayed for sunset while Tesla ran in laps and stole the scene. What a great start to a long adventure!

[hikertrash101]

April 18, PCT 2018 Day - 5

These were our first real mountain views and the views that we fell asleep to.

[hikertrash101]

April 18, PCT 2018. Day - 5 REUNION!

Gargoyle has finally caught us! He had to blow out big miles for the start of the trail and was exhausted. We walked about five miles and found a very crowded washout. A deer skull is forboding and the wind of overbearing but we are our unit once again and we reflect on where we are and the enormity of what is to come.

@happyfeet515

[hikertrash101]

April 14, PCT 2018 Day - 1

In the morning we drove to the trailhead, took the prerequisite photos and headed out. Just after the mile one marker we saw our first rattlesnake!

It was brutally hot by noon-1 time and we somehow managed to get separated. I thought for sure that Happs was ahead of me. I was trying my best to catch up but by the end of the first big down (like 16 miles into the day) I was toast. Completely slathered in sweat. The up that precedes was daunting so I took an extended break. Happs caught me! “How the hell did you get behind me?!”

We made that last few miles fly with conversation and talks about swimmin in Lake Marina. When we finally got to the campsite it was turning dark. There was a camper in one of the spots and an older couple jumped out. “We are all out of dinner but we have a head of broccoli!” We talked until well after dark. They even gave us birthday cake! After all was said and done we were the only ones to cowboy camp.

[hikertrash101]

Why the sudden boost?!

After the AT I managed to compile nearly 200 pages from this tumblr. It gives me a solid chronological timeline of my adventure to follow for my own sake when going back. While I did finish the trail and the suspense Is gone there is so much to say about my 5.5 month trek from Mexico to Canada. I hope to post at least one post per day if not several until I xatch the blog up.

Cheers! And thanks for following along!

[hikertrash101]

April 11/12, PCT 2018 San Diego - 1

After saying my goodbyes I got a ride to the airport, gave some hugs, and headed for the bar. There I met a woman from my home town! We spoke at length and it was actually really wholesome to just have a conversation with a stranger. I was in my element. Stressed from travel but floating from my lack of obligation.

I love flying but my flight was long and when we landed in San Diego it was near midnight. My friend Lindsey was more than kind to pick me up and give me a place to stay for three nights and two days.

The next morning I took my pack and wandered San Diego. I got lost in a drainage for hours and wandered the wilder parts of the city. I went to find this new kind of nature. I’ve never been in the desert and I was enthralled to see such alien plants and skittering lizards. I walked stupidly through waist high chaparral and prickly nopales trying to find my way back to the street without crossing a yard. Around lunch I started looking for the perfect ripe prickly pear. It took me quite a while to put my finger on the taste and texture but I think I filed it down to kiwi-like.

Sorry that I only have the link, but the page is public. Cheers!