Adventure that is! From the very beginning, everyone has said what a personal, soul journey this is going to be… all the deep thoughts you’ll have, the growth etc. I agreed.
HA!!! You guys!!! If soul journey means just trying to stay alive, I’m on one! All I could say up until now over and over in my head was just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming… I literally yelled at my own brain to shut up, it was on repeat, had a skip, major malfunction! The heat! The flies! The bugs! One of those desert fuckers bit me up on the second day and took me out on the 5th! I’m frightened to go to the bathroom because of thoughts of trapping a fly or two or more in my underwear when I pull them up! 😳
05/19/23 Mile 0-7.5: My family dropped me off at 1pm at the Southern Terminus right on the Mexican border, I watched with tears in my eyes as they drove by, waiving and hollering their love at me in their air conditioned Jeep Wagoneer. It was only 80 degrees, but the actual nerve! I can’t lie, I had the biggest lump in my throat as they passed, the love I feel for them, the knowing I wouldn’t see them in months and that this trek, with all the build up is officially REAL! My goal was to hike 7.5 miles that afternoon, I was elated to finally be pounding dirt, the weight of my pack reminding me that everything I needed was on my back, taking too many pictures and making calls from the trail to share my first miles with people I love. It is beautiful here, unlike anything I’ve ever hiked in, the wild flowers are in bloom, the vegetation still green, The water is still flowing and I feel very lucky. I had my first animal scare, a vulture that sounded like a bear in the brush, flapped out of the bushes, flew right at me then swooped by as I cursed and peed a little. Little lizards are everywhere and also sound like thundering bear in the bush. I made it to camp about 7pm, in time to watch the sunset, I unpacked my pack, set up my tent and organized my gear, which actually takes an ungodly amount of time, made my first dinner and slept under the most beautiful starry sky imaginable.
PCT 20 23 