Day 3: the desert is beautiful <3

Sat 4/21/12, mile 26-39 (13 miles)

I am born and raised in southern California. Since I was about 7, I knew I didn't like SoCal and wanted out. After today I realized, southern California is frickin gorgeous when you remove all the people. Lol. But Wow. I love the scenery. Many would consider it quite boring, but I love rocks and lizards and there are tons of those out here. Happy! :)

Today is my 3rd snake encounter. 3 snakes in 3 days. But today I didn't see it, I just heard the rattle. Double yikes!! This is yet another reason why I am not using an mp3 player...

So I hiked with Dazzle for a bit. He's helping me figure stuff out and giving me good advice. I also met this couple (I forgot their names), and another couple who are both Triple Crowners (they have done this trail, Appalachian trail, and continental divide trail) and are doing this trail for the 2nd time. I believe they originally met on the 1st day of their first pct thru-hike in 2006. The two couples and I started the same day. Dazzle, the day before. I call us the Casual Club. Lol. A lot of people are busting 16-20+ miles/day right off the start. We prefer to go at a more casual pace :D

Man, the scenery today was so sweet. I'm in higher elevation now (around 5000') so things look different. It's rad!! Real pretty views from the ridges.

I'm contemplating buying a different pack. Mine doesn't feel good :( But i don't know if thats how its supposed to feel, or if it really doesn't fit. Maybe I'm just being a baby? I definitely have too much weight in my pack. I tried on another gal's pack and it was so comfy I wanted to do cartwheels! But it was also a lot lighter. I'll keep with it a while longer and see if things get better. This is already the 2nd pack I bought and it was expensive :(

The guy in the pic below is Dazzle from Kauai. Super cool cat. That sign is from this area where a military plane supposedly crashed, with live ammo. The rest are views from today. Sorry if pic quality isn't great, I'm doing this entirely from my phone.

Anyhow, it's 8:30 and I'm balled up in my sleeping bag cuz its cold!!! Brrrr. Nap time!

End of day 2: a random encounter, and a blessing from the universe

So I didn't really hike too much further than when I last posted. But that's ok, because I've decided to listen to my body first, and worry about the miles after. I'm tired and my feet hurt. Lol.

I met Dazzle today. He's an awesome dude from Kauai (yay!! Someone else from Hawaii doing the PCT!!) who has thru-hiked the Appalachian trail way back when, before ultralight gear was invented. He also used to work for the Appalachian Mountain club, up at the cabins along the trail. Anyhow, I bring him up, because I think this encounter was a message from the universe to not push myself as get hurt. :)

I was sitting at this one spot along the trail doctoring my blisters, and he pops up and asks, hey are u the girl from Hawaii? I guess he saw my blog somewhere. Anyhow, he said he is going real slow, around 10 miles a day, to start off with. And he tells me there are so many people who try to bust big miles right off the bat (due to ego/peer pressure/whatever) before they are physically ready, and they end up hurting themselves. And I thought, yeah, he's right. I'm not trying to prove anything here. And since I'm going all the way to Canada, I better not mess myself up. Lol. So hence i decised to camp here, instead of going for another 6 miles. Thanks, Dazzle, for helping me make the correct decision.

Speaking of blessings from the universe, I started this hike at the perfect time. Just a week ago, it was snowing and hailing where I'm at now. Currently it is warm and awesome and there's plenty of water flowing from all that snow/precipitation. And as I go a bit more north, all the snow there now will have melted. Yay!! I am so incredibly grateful to the world and all the amazing people who are a part of my life. Thanks everyone for being so awesome. :) <3

Day 1 and 2: figuring it all out :)

Im chilling at lake morena right now. Fixing blisters, getting water, and changing socks :) dude this whole shoe-wearing thing is killing me. Im seriously considering switching to chacos for a bit.

So, Around mile 10 yesterday I had kid of an interesting emotional experience. That's when the reality of all this hit, and I realized that this was what I was going to be doing for the next 5 months. Sooo stoked!! :D. Also, it was about then that I mentally and fully committed to making it to Canada, come hell or high water. :)

Man, so many cool people I've met and it's only my 2nd day! A chick named Maya from Berkeley who is a nurse, she has the same pack and tent that I do, and she's so cool. I've been pacing a guy from Japan today. It's really neat to observe people from other countries and their mannerisms. The cool thing about this guy is that he doesn't go fast and he stops at a lot of views to take it all in. Normally I'd just glance and keep going. Hiking with this guy is a neat reminder to stop and smell the roses and enjoy what's around me. Stoked. :)

Also, a guy name "trail angel bill" who is a local here just told us all that there's plenty of water on the trail so don't freak out. YAY!! Also he said Fuller Ridge is not bad cuz the snow this year is so low. YAY!!

Sorry i dont have many pics, most of them are on my camera which i will upload when i can get to a computer. I'm off again now. Yippee!!

Here's a pic of me overlooking lake moreena

Flying to San Diego!!!!!

Oh my god I am totally freaking the f**k out. Lol!! Not in a bad way. More like an eager anticipation/WOW kinda way. :)

I don't remember if I have already, but I want to mention a few people who are pretty crucial to my trip's well being. CJ in seattle, who is my resupply person, and is handling ALL my food drops and care packages, etc. she is also foster caring for my entire animal clan while I'm gone. which is a pretty huge ordeal. It's like having a part time job that you don't get paid for. O.o. And Matty Jen and Jerod, they let me live with them and store all my stuff (I have a lot of crap) at their house for the last month. And especially Matty because I pretty much took over his room with most of my crap and costumes, and he's moving to a new house and taking all my stuff with him. and I can't help him pack. :( and he's babysitting part of my animal clan too. That's a lot!!!

And thank you to Cherry Blossom Cabaret and friends, for being the most amazing group of humans in the world. We had an epic going away/cast party :P. and thanks Jas, for keeping me on task the last couple days! You're awesome :)

Time to fly!!

2:30am, can't sleep...

So here I am, in San Diego. Lying in bed. I can't sleep. Lol. I leave in 3.5 hours for the most amazing adventure of my life, thus far. I feel like my veins are going to explode. I can't even begin to describe my emotions right now. Everything is so...intense, yet foggy. I feel like I have this 10' diameter ball of electricity that follows me everywhere.

For those of you who don't know, there are a whole bunch of people along the trail known as Trail Angels. And that's pretty much exactly what they do. Randomly show up, and help hikers out in all kinds of ways. They are like the Superheroes of the PCT, and they all do it out of love. Pretty amazing. <3

San Diego has a large network of trail angels, one swooped me up from the airport at midnight and I'm at another angel's house right now, with a few other hikers, who will be starting tomorrow. The generosity and heart of these angels are incredible. What an amazing way to start my journey. Mahalo nui loa, Scout, Frodo and the San Diego angels. You guys are amazing <3

Its hard to believe that in exactly one week, I will be doing nothing but walking for 5 months straight.  Seems crazy, doesn't it?

By the way, if anyone is wondering, I am absolutely shitting bricks right now.  But not in a bad way.  It is as if... my veins are going to explode out of my skin and my whole body is going to invert upon itself and combust.  It is eager anticipation/holy-crap-I-have-no-idea-whats-about-to-happen-but-I-can't-wait-to-find-out, kind of thing.  Haha.  But its all good.  Butterstuff has my back. right, buddy? "woof!!" *wag wag wag*~Butterstuff 

The closest thing I can compare this feeling to is paddling out to sunset beach on a  sizeable day.  That is *exactly* what I feel like right now (and have been for the past week).  And its slowly getting more intense.

Its funny how I really haven't been able to focus much on anything, the past 2 weeks.  Unless I am outdoors and doing something that requires 100% mental concentration,  I just can't get anything done.  Arrrrg, I need to pull myself together, to at least get all my gear together.  Blah.  Menial tasks are incredibly unappealing right now.  Even more so than normal.  


The countdown is on.  This is so nuts.  I can't believe I'm really going to do this.  This is going to be so freaking epic and amazing!!!!

An Update from CJ, about my Animal Clan

My whole clan (except for JP, Tux, and Mac, they're gonna hang out with Matty) is in Seattle right now with CJ.  She is foster caring them for me while I hike.  She went to go buy some food for my resupply packages yesterday, and left my clan with all the food.  EEK!  Anyhow, my clan is "guarding" my food.  Right.  Hopefully there will still be food left, when its time to mail it.  And stay outta my cookies, Wompus!!