DAYS 29-35

DAYS 29-35

DAY 29

5-22-2013

Miles: 454-0

-Zero day at the Saufley's

-Bicycle riding into town... So much fun! I had not ridden a bike for at least 10 years or more!

-Knee hurting but feeling a bit better after resting it up

-Passed out watermelon and cherries

-Passed around a 'thank you' note for all the hikers to sign to give to Donna Saufley. This was a great way to meet people! The Saufley's really appreciated the note. 

-Breakfast at the Sweetwater Cafe-- good food but the service was sketchy. 

-Hung out a lot with Commando, Shady, and Puppy

-Beads showed up!!!!! We became buddies at the Kick Off. She went into town to stop by REI. She was so sweet to buy me a sleeping pad! I paid her back for it. 

-I love my old sleeping pad. It was a blow-up, long, rectangular, 4 season, lightweight sleeping pad. It is wonderfully comfy... but I've been getting tired of blowing it up at the end of every day. It is great for really short trips where I can afford to be comfortable; it's too much hassle for long-distance hiking. 

-My new pad is like a miniature egg-crate foam pad. It folds up into an accordion type shape. It isn't very thick; but at the end of a long and tiring day I could sleep on a bed of nails and not know it!

DAY 30

5-23-2013

Miles: 454-479

-Hiked from The Saufley's to The Anderson's

-Hiked with large group of people I love

-Knee going out; very VERY painful

-Shady hiked with me to make sure I was okay. I felt so thankful for his help. Hiked in the moonlight for a bit. I was moving slowly because of my knee pain. 

-Got in late, around 9pm. Set up camp in The Anderson's yard (aka Narnia). We hung out with our bubble of hiker friends- drank beer, laughed, listened to music, did art work, signed registers, exchanged hiking stories and advice, and compared battle wounds with one another. It was fun, but also cold... and I had just hiked 25 miles with a painful and busted knee. I needed sleep! Crashed in the middle of some manzanita trees... Shady got me all scared about the spiders!

DAY 31

5-24-2013

Miles: 479-0

-Zero day @ Casa de Luna

-Said goodbye to Shady, Commando, Atlas, Nurse Betty, and others who were moving on. I wanted to cry because I was having to say goodbye to my hiking group while I stayed behind to let my knee get better. 

-Took pain pills, iced, elevated, and rested my knee... in a daze because of the pills. 

-I'm frustrated. My mind wants to hike 25 mile days and my body doesn't like this plan yet. Grrrrrrrrr. 

-Even though I'm frustrated and sad, I am in a really great place with trail angels who are taking care of me. Casa de Luna is a great place for me to crash. 

DAY 32

5-25-2013

Miles: 479-0

-Zero day @ Casa de Luna

-Pancakes, sandwiches, milkshakes, and taco salad... yummy!

-Hot shower outside

-Went with Devon, Marshall, Ariel, and two others to a local sandwich shop. I had 2 milkshakes there!

-Slept a lot

-My knee feels slightly better, but it hurts when I use it too much. My ankles and feet are as swollen as swollen can get... it's kind of scary how puffy my lower extremities are right now. I don't like it at all!

-Woke up at 1:00am to use the restroom and everyone here was asleep! How strange!!!! Just 2 nights ago the house was rockin' all night long. Different groups of hikers party all different hours I guess. 

DAY 33

5-26-2013

Miles: 479-0

-Zero day @ Casa de Luna

-Apparently I snore. Other hikers have told me this after walking past my tent in the morning. 

DAY 34

5-27-2013

Miles 479-0

-Zero day @ Casa de Luna

-Feeling bummed because my knee isn't any better

-Donna Saufley stopped by Casa de Luna. When I saw her, I asked if I could ride back with her to her place so I could rest up and see a doctor. The Anderson's place at Casa de Luna is awesome, but it's far away from town. I also wanted to be able to have a cot and some more structured use of amenities like laundry, sleeping quarters, kitchen use, showers, etc. which The Saufley's are more equipped to provide.  

-Got to The Saufley's. The change of scenery is nice. I also ran into some more friends!!!!!! I saw Cookie Monster from the kick off. He made special cookies and shared with me! I also saw Crazy Knees and a few other folks.

-My trail angel friends TK and Boo Boo live next to a VA center in San Diego. They said I could go home with them tomorrow (28th), stay in their guest house, go to the VA to check out my knee, let my knee get better while I'm there, and learn how to surf! I think I might just take them up on their offer. Then, once I'm better, I can get back to the trail via public transportation. This means I would have to skip up the trail (again) and re-do a small part later. I'm okay with this, but bummed because its not how I wanted my hike to turn out. Oh well, I can't help my medical issues. I should make the best of this situation! :)

DAY 35

5-28-2013

-The Saufley's House... no miles gained

-Woke up early. My feet and ankles were much less swollen than they have been. My knee pain is also a lot more manageable today than it has been. I soaked my feet and calves in a bucket of hot water with Dr. Teal's salts mixed in. This felt great! I also found some joint pain relieving cream that contains arnica; this cream feels really great on my knee too. 

-Made friends with Heebeegeebiis, Dumpster Baby, Baby Steps, Giant, Rocks, Band Leader, and Porscha. 

-Removed some horrid nail polish from my fingers and toe nails. I repainted them a pretty pink color. All the other hikers are making fun of me and my girly-ness. Haha!

-Called the post office in Tehachapi, CA. They are sending my bounce bucket back to me here at The Saufley's in Agua Dulce. 

-I decided to NOT go with Boo Boo and TK to their house next to the VA. I would be getting so far away from the PCT that it would be that much easier to walk away from the trail altogether. If I can recuperate while I'm on the trail or near the trail, I will still feel tied to it and everyone hiking it. I also think my knee is going to get better. I have to get better. I love this trail too much to give up easily. I think I'll be able to get back on the trail in a few days; I'll need to start out slowly and only go between 15-20 miles a day. Hopefully I can build my daily mileage back up to 25+ miles. I'd rather hike slowly than not at all. 

-My knee was feeling better so I rode a bicycle to town. Going into town is fun because the ride is all downhill and alongside horse pastures and desert farms... it's beautiful! I love riding bikes in a group... a hiker and biker mob!

-I ate dinner at Sweetwater Cafe with Cookie Monster, Crazy Knees, and another girl whose name has escaped my memory. I had a bleu cheese burger, a blue moon beer, and a multi-berry cobbler with ice cream! Yummmmmm! I haven't hiked in about a week, so I've got to dial back my calorie intake or else in going to blow up! I've already gained 7 pounds!!!!!! Lol. 

-I didn't have any food, so I stopped by the grocery store on my way out of town. I love Horizon milk! I bought lots of this, a big bag of cherries, and other stuff. It was interesting rigging my grocery bag to the back of my bike. I finally figured it out and rode back towards The Saufley's. 

-The bike ride back to The Saufley's wasn't as bad as I anticipated, though it still made my knee ache. It felt good to have the wind in my hair and to break a sweat. 

-Sat around a fire with other hikers. I found an open bedroom! yay! I shared it with Crazy Knees. I felt tired, so I went to bed early. 

DAYS 25-28

DAYS 25-28

DAY 25

5-18-2013

Mile 369.69-386.32

-Rode with Mike and Wildcat out of Wrightwood

-Found encouragement and motivation after eating lunch with Fat-man-do (the Aussie) and Atlas (a friend from Kick Off). Both men are older, experienced thru-hikers. We discussed my back and hip pain when going uphill (even slightly uphill), my lack of appetite, how I should be consuming around 4,000 calories a day at minimum, what meals I can come up with that are easy to prepare and that I will realistically eat, and if I should take an alternate route through the desert instead of the Los Angeles mountains in order to avoid a massive incline and altitude gain. 

-Fat-man-do and Atlas went on. I stayed behind, ate an orange, looked at my maps, weighed my options, and took into consideration everything my hiking buddies told me.

-I decided to challenge myself and climb Mount Baden-Powell. This was another 3,000 foot elevation gain in just 4 miles... aka: STEEP! I regularly average around 2.5 mph on semi-flat terrain. I wasn't sure what my mileage was going uphill, but I decided to try 1mph. So 1mph over 4 miles is a 4 hour hike to the top. I made it to the top in 2.5 hours! Yay! I was still going slow, struggling, taking constant breaks, and fighting pain... BUT I SUCCEEDED!!!! It was a huge accomplishment for me to climb this today. The last 3,000 foot elevation gain in 4 miles turned out to be one of my worst days ever on the PCT. I am thrilled that the same challenge on a different day gave me different results. I feel much more confident about approaching inclines now. I still don't like them, but now I know I can do them if I am in the right state of mind. 

-At the top of the mountain I continued to hike onward. I eventually met up with Atlas and Fat-man-do. I really like these guys... We have a similar pace, we are all encouraging to one another, none of us feel obligated to hike together, and we laugh a lot. We hiked on, set up camp, and are now going to sleep. 

-Big day tomorrow because water sources are scarce. I'll be walking at least 20 miles tomorrow. 

-My back, hips, insides of my knees, shoulders, and feet are achey. I've got to buy more ibuprofen!

-I feel tired, happy, accomplished, thankful, hopeful, blessed, and chilly! Brrrrrrrrrrr! The wind is blowing like crazy!

DAY 26

5-19-2013

Miles 386.32-410.13

-Biggest day yet! Almost 24 miles! Woohoo!

-Mentally feeling great; body adjusting; ate more today; still back, hip, and knee pain but I pushed through it

-Hiked with Atlas, Phat-man-do, and Nurse Betty. I LOVED OUR HIKE TODAY... Great group

-Windy and cold as hell in the morning

-Cowgirl camping

-Nurse Betty gave me some Biofreeze to ease the pain

-I am really missing my dog Sadie

-Over all... a terrific day! :)

DAY 27

5-20-2013

Miles 410.13-433.35

-Same group

-Road walk

-I showed much improvement

-Needing alone time

-Good appetite... craving fast food!

-Fruit Stand... suggested as another trail name for me because I carry so much fruit with me on the trail! 

-Girls camped without boys

-Back and hip pain

-Singing military jodies

-Weird Day... motorcycle crash, fireman ghost town, news about the Oklahoma tornadoes... Sad that these things have happened to innocent people

DAY 28

5-21-2013

Miles 433.35-454

-Needed alone time so I hiked ahead. I was getting frustrated in the group because decisions began to made as a group. For example, instead of saying "I am going to hike 20 miles today so I can camp at this area because I want to," it turned into everyone discussing what WE should do. One person seemed to get upset whenever I wanted to do something different. I would remind this other hiker that others can hike their own hike and do things differently, and that I was okay going off by myself to hike my own hike. I know my point was heard; however the hiker kept using words like "we" and "our"... these words are big no-no's to solo hikers who want to keep their independence. I think men find it difficult to respect these boundaries for solo women in the wilderness; they want to protect, lead, and guide. This is all great and very sweet, but it is aggravating to have to argue my point and stand up for my boundaries over and over and over again. 

-I met up with everyone at the KOA campgrounds where I guzzled down a Dr. Pepper and inhaled a nice, cold Popsicle. It is HOT HOT HOT today! The KOA grounds have a pool, jacuzzi, showers, and laundry mat. I am utilizing all of these amenities before moving along the trail! I don't have a swimsuit, nor do the other 3 girls so we are swimming in our underwear! Lol. It looks like this might become a theme. I'm so happy I've got a black bra and black bottoms!

-Im still here at the KOA. The pool and jacuzzi feel great, my shower was amazing, my clothes are nice and clean, and my belly is REALLY full of pizza and Pringles. I feel great! I'm waiting until it gets cooler to hike 10 miles uphill to The Saufley's (trail angels). I'm hoping to make it there today. 

-I feel nice and refreshed. I'm ready to relax and resupply my food once I get to The Saufleys. There I will also get more supplies for my back pain from my bounce bucket. I also hope to catch up to Commando and Shady Acres. I'm hiking faster and I'm covering more ground, so I might be able to hike with them if I can catch up. I don't think that will happen, but it would be great if it did. 

-Got to the Saufley's property... HEAVEN ON EARTH! I met up with a bunch of friends I made at the kick off and along the trail. So much fun! I'll write more details on this later!

-Wandered around and found an empty cot next to Hummingbird and Whispers

-Saw Shady and Commando in town at The Sweetwater Cafe. I walked in and they were at the bar. They saw me and were exclaiming "Girly Girl! Girly Girl!" That made me feel special. We all hugged, took a shot, had some beers, and passed around carrot cake. Shady and Commando said they were impressed I was already there- that I must be hauling ass down the trail. I guess I've been going fast but I didn't realize I was going fast enough to meet up with Shady and Mando. Feels great to be caught up and in the company of good folks. 

-Saw Boo Boo and TK! I loved seeing them! Boo Boo took me to town AND she came by to pick me up. She drives a Prius, and she was able to get Shady and his bike into the car too! 

-Felt like I was in a dream... loving this experience. It's worth all the sweat and tears to get get here. The property and set up is perfect for hikers. So much work has been done to give me and other hikers this experience. I'm overwhelmed at the kindness and sense of community I have encountered!

DAYS 23-24

DAY 23

5-16-2013

Miles 347.18-363.5 (+Acorn Trail to Wrightwood... another 4.5 miles)

-Hard as fuck!!!!! Aggghhh!

-Scalding hot sun

-Constant and relentless incline of 3,000ft over 10 miles

-Vomiting on side of mountain

-Dizzy

-Viewed SAR (search and rescue)  attempt in mountains below me

-Everyone passing me... my pride was shot along with my body

-Nearly gave up

-Fighting back tears

-Yelling at the top of my lungs just to get up a mountain... yes, literally yelling because it somehow made me feel better. Lol. 

-Rested on top of a mountain underneath a humongous pine tree with a great view and a nice breeze.... Somehow found the willpower to continue on

-Went from the PCT (mile 363.5) down the Acorn Trail (4.5 miles) into Wrightwood, CA. 

-The Pines Motel, room 8 with Shady Acres, Commando, Wildcat, and myself. PIZZA!

-Not eating enough? Dehydrated? Drinking too much water? Hypoxia/Altitude sickness? Heat sickness? Something is making me feel crappy!

-Most challenging day ever... but still glad I'm here. There's no place else I'd rather be, and nothing I'd rather be doing. 

DAY 24

5-17-2013

Zero Day in Wrightwood... no miles covered

-Bounce bucket pick up

-Shady Acres and Commando are leaving... sad to see them go but happy for my memories with them. I'm sure Ill see them again at The Saufleys. 

-Went through pack and bounce bucket, sorted out my gear, figured out what food to bring. 

-Everyone says I'm eating too little while on the trail, but I'm simply not hungry at all. I bought fresh food to take with me and I hope this will last me for a few days. Maybe I will eat the fresh food more than my packaged food. I am taking 6 days worth of food between Wrightwood and Agua Dulce. I eat TONS when I go into town, but my peers still don't think I'm eating enough calories to match all the energy I'm burning in 20+ mile days. I'm frustrated about my appetite and food situation, but I know this will work itself out soon. I think it will all be okay when the "hiker hunger" hits me and I have a full appetite. Until now, I'm aggravated at not knowing how much food I need to carry around with me or what kind of food I need, hauling around extra food and not being able to eat it all, etc. 

-Repacked backpack and it feels more manageable. Yay!

-Decided to stay another night in Wrightwood with Busted, Wildcat, G-Dub, and Starfox

-Mom sent me my town dress... I love it and I feel so Girly! ;)

-I love this town... much like Wimberley

-I decided to hitch hike from Wrightwood west to PCT mile 369.5. This means I will be bypassing Mount Baden Powell. I am doing this for a few reasons: 1) The ascent up Acorn Trail to the PCT is hellacious... about a 3,000ft climb in 4 miles!!!! So steep and I'm not sure my body or my mind can handle that right now. 2) Once to the top, I would then walk 6 more miles up and then downhill. This all seems rather redundant to me and not worth my physical health or state of mind. I'll be much happier hitching. 3) I will stay ahead of the masses of hikers right on my tail. I really don't want to get caught up with all of them. 

-Feeling very supported and loved by everyone back home and here on the trail. I still feel a bit lonely and am getting drained of small talk. I think this will be better once I'm back on the trail and am surrounded by the same hikers I've been hiking near (Fatmando, Tear Bear, Shady Acres, Commando, Scones, Doodles, Nurse Betty, Peter Pan, Thirsty Boots, Señor Green, Mr. Green, Seeker, Whispers, Lady Killer, etc). I enjoy walking along the trail into a group of hikers and everyone turning around chanting "Girly Girl!" or just "Girly!" I want to hike! Morning can't get here fast enough!

DAYS 18-21

DAY 18

5-11-2013

Mile 266-281.19

-I woke up at 6:00am ready to hike! Courtney drove me 1.5 hours to Big Bear City, CA. We ate breakfast at Thelma's; the cinnamon roll was to die for! Yummy! I am hoping to meet up with my friends Ruth and Dave, but I haven't heard from them so I might hop on the trail without them. I don't want to spend money on a hotel room tonight. I'm figuring out my water situation to determine if I can get on the trail today. 

-Got on the trail today at mile 266. I got a ride with another hiker, Lady Killer, from a man who works at Nature's Inn located in Big Bear City. I didn't know Lady Killer or intend on hiking with him, but we shared the same pace so we hiked together/in the same vicinity the entire day. He is a nice guy, fun to talk with, and good to hike with. He gave me my space and never once made me feel pressured to hike or camp near him. I truly appreciate the space he gave me. His daughter's birthday is the same as mine! She is coming out here to hike with him on part of the trail. Lady Killer's plans to hike with his daughter remind me of my father. My dad is thinking about meeting up with me in Oregon to do some of the PCT! Now how cool would that be?!?!? He is training at home... getting used to carrying his pack, gaining mileage, learning his gear, getting his pace, etc. I really hope he can make it out here. DAD: If you're reading this... Keep up the good work! I'm hoping to see you in Oregon! :)

-Im camped out above a huge bed of pine needles; I am so comfortable! I ate a shepherd's meat pie, hot chocolate, and some Girlscout cookies. I was starving! I love my new alcohol-burning stove... it works great, the fuel (HEET alcohol) is easy to find in every town, and it's light weight. Yay!

-Today was awesome, and challenging. My body has had off from hiking the last few days and my limbs were getting all lazy and stiff on me. The first 7 miles today were really difficult... my neck, back, knees, toes, arches and heels of my feet were very sore today. I felt pain, but I told myself to keep on going and not to quit. I'm so happy I pressed on! I emerged from a heavily wooded area to a ridge line overlooking Big Bear Lake. It was stunning and worth every bit of pain and discomfort. It is empowering for me to know that I can rise above my aches and pains... to tell myself that my spinal pain will no longer dominate my mindset and my life. I am so happy to be on the trail again! Woohoo!

-Today really was great. I am exhausted and am laying here in my tent as I write this. Time to try and pull up some movies on my phone before I drift off to sleep. Haha... technology is insane! Hiking is better. :)

DAY 19

5-12-2013

Miles 281-296

-Got "lost" twice

-Rattlesnake

-Seeker, Sphinx, Rum Monkey

-Woke up alone and loved it

-Hiked alone and loved most of it

-Hiking alone VS hiking with someone: compromise, encouragement

-Granola for breakfast, fruit pouch and pistachios during the day, 

-Camping alone; amazing campsite; can see twinkling lights of a city in the distance

-Loving life

-Hibijibis at night and in tent!!!! Lol

DAY 20

5-13-2013

Miles 296-308

-Hard ass day; trail and river teasing me; hot as all get out

-Hiked with lots of nice people

-Rushing river

-Hot Springs... felt like I was in Heaven!!!! Skinny dipped along with everyone else, drank some beer and partied with locals and other backpackers, camped on riverbank

-Exhausted!!!!! I'm going to bed early tonight. Today was a very frustrating, difficult, hard, lovely, turbulent, and peaceful day. It was ugly and beautiful all at the same time. I LOVE these hot springs! Not too many hikers are camping here like they said they would. It feels strange to be here in my tent all to myself... my first solo night on the PCT! Woohoo!

-Got naked and wandered around my campsite on the banks of Deep Creek. I'm sitting naked on a huge boulder overlooking small waterfalls. I feel free and wild... loving life more every second. 

DAY 21

5-14-2013

Miles 308-328.7

-Longest day yet, tired but I feel accomplished

-Marlene and Shepherd with root beer floats and hot dogs

-Shadey Acres, Commando, Tear Bear, Fat-man-do

-Insides of knees hurt

-Up&Downs, Gear, Hiking next to a river, Hiking alone... I'd like to expound on these topics later when I feel like writing

-Too tired to think!

-Skinny dipping (again) in lake

DAY 22

5-15-2013

Miles 328.70-347.18

-McDonald's!!!!!! at mile 342, Cajon Pass

-Hiked with Shady Acres and Commando

-Met First Light, Golden Hour, Nurse Betty, Peter Pan, and a few other gals

-Tired, but excited to be with great people & to be gaining a lot of mileage!

-Im slower than everyone else, but I think I'll start getting faster. 

DAY 17

DAY 17

5-10-2013

29 Palms, CA w/ Courtney & Alan

-Slept in; woke up at Courtney and Alan's house in 29 Palms, CA; stretched; began loading my pack so I could go on a hike to test out my back muscles... but then I started looking at maps, created an itinerary for the next few days, and got my food figured out. Courtney's husband Alan drove me to the post office. I mailed my bounce bucket up to myself in Wrightwood, CA and I mailed some unneeded items back to my parents' home. I've been packing everything up. 

-Yesterday I set up my tent in Courtney and Alan's back yard to air it out in order to prevent mildew from growing inside it. I weighed my tent down with rocks. At night, I went outside to check on my tent and it was gone! All the rocks were in place, but no tent! I thought Courtney and Alan were playing a prank on me. Alan helped me track my tent down... it had been swept up by the wind and it was blown a ways away. Lol. 

-I AM ITCHING TO GET BACK ON THE TRAIL!!!!!!!!!! I kind of feel like I'm cheating since I'm jumping ahead one section. I have to remind myself that I will finish Section B after I get to Canada. I am sad that I have missed out on Section B because its at the beginning of the hike where everyone is figuring out their pace, hiking styles, capabilities, etc. I have spent so much time in hotel rooms and towns that I don't feel like I've really hiked at all. I'm feeling a bit robbed of my experience... I was hiking really fast at first to keep up with the others; I was going into town a lot because that's what everyone else wanted; I was pushing myself to get from water source to water source in one day (instead of carrying enough water to camp in between caches if necessary) because that's what everyone else wanted. I think my back went out because I was pushing myself to meet everyone else's standards. So far in my hike, I've been hiking on other people's terms which is the exact opposite of what I set out to do. My hiking buddies were doing everything for me as well... building fires, studying the topographic maps, coming up with itineraries, etc. While it was nice to be taken care of by more experienced hikers, this hindered my abilities to figure it out for myself and to make my own mistakes so I could learn from them. Maybe my back going out and me getting separated from my old group was a good thing. FINALLY I get to hike my own way! I'm thrilled for this new experience, yet still sad that I didn't figure this out earlier in my trip. Oh well... I learned my lesson. Now I know to hike my own hike and to not let anyone else interfere. 

-My pack now weighs 24.5 pounds. I'm trying to figure out why the weight increased by so much! My town dress is a bit heavy. I've asked my mom to mail me another sun dress that will weigh much less. I am now carrying a bowl, cup, spork, knife, dish scrubber, soap, and salt & pepper shaker. If I use these items I'll keep carrying them; if I don't use something I'll toss it. I have my new section maps which weigh quite a bit at the beginning of each section. I have a new bottle of sunscreen; it's weight will quickly be reduced. I have a new bottle of Voltaren Gel which I use for my arthritis; this weight will go down with time. I re-stocked my medicine so I will have a 30 day supply on me at all times; this weight will also be reduced. I am carrying a purse-sized bottle of lotion that I could get rid of, but I want my lotion! Lol. I still find it hard to believe that these 7 items have added 4.5 pounds to my pack weight. Maybe the scale I used today isn't accurate?? Hmmm... oh well. I've got everything I need and this is what matters. 

-Courtney and I are going to the store to grab a few items. I need bleach and an empty Visine bottle to store the bleach in. My friend Beave taught me that one drop of bleach per one liter of water makes for perfect drinking water. I tried his water from and it tasted just fine. I am going to adopt this method of water purification. Thanks for the tip Beave! 

***If anyone is mailing items to me, please see below for mailing addresses and dates. Also, please text me where you are sending any letters or packages and it's ETA so I may know which post office to stop by. Thank you! 

My ETA is May 17, 2013:

Alicia M. Briggs

C/o Mountain Hardware

PO Box 398

Wrightwood, CA 92397

My ETA is May 23, 2013:

Alicia M. Briggs

C/o The Saufleys

11861 Darling Road

Agua Dulce, CA 91390

My ETA is May 28, 2013:

Alicia M. Briggs

c/o Hikertown

26803 W. Ave C-15

Lancaster, CA 93536

DAYS 15-16... Courtney saves the day!

DAY 15

5-8-2013

Julian, CA to 29 Palms, CA

-COURTNEY TO THE RESCUE!

-My friend from Texas, Courtney, picked me up in Julian today. I didn't feel ready to hit the trail yet because my back pain was still persistent. Courtney drove 3 hours to come get me and another 3 hours back to her home with me. We even swung by the Warner Springs Post Office to get my bounce bucket. What a lifesaver and such a great friend!!!!!! She and her husband Alan have been so sweet to take me into their home at the last second! I met their precious daughter Brooke too. I fell asleep at around 7:00pm! I guess I was exhausted. It was relaxing to know I could rest up and let my back recover while in the company of good people. -My hiking buddy Beave went back on the trail too. I felt like I was holding him up (because I was). It made me happy to know he got to go finish his hike in his own timing. I'm excited to know that I'll be hiking my hike in my own timing without holding others up with my back problems. 

DAY 16

5-9-2013

29 Palms, CA

-I woke up at Courtney's and took her to work. She let me use her car so I could go get a massage while she was at work. My massage was AMAZING and I could feel the pain leaving my body. I am relaxing in Courtney's living room right now and am catching up on celebrity news. I spoke to my trail friend Ruth. She will be getting in to Big Bear City on May 11th. I am going to try and meet her there and hop back on to the PCT. Once I complete the trail, I will swing back down to Southern California and finish hiking the trail section between Warner Springs and Big Bear City. 

Trail Names

TRAIL-NAME: For those who don't know what a 'trail name' is, it is a nickname you earn and use on the trail. People in the backpacking community know folks by their trail names instead of their real names. I have had lots of suggestions such as 'Odd Ball', 'Giggles', 'Wing It', 'Snail Runner', and 'Camel Bud'. I liked all of these, but the name that has stuck the most is 'GIRLY GIRL.' Yay! I've got a trail name!!!!!! Fellow backpackers noticed the following things about me: I brought 4 pair of shoes with me, I wear a skirt when hiking, I've got long blonde hair, I bring mascara and a mirror with me on the trail, I have makeup in my bounce bucket, I ask for a blow drier from every hotel I stay in, I shave my legs, I bought a dress in town to use as my town dress, I bought jewelry to go with my dress, and I wear my new bracelets on the trail. I might be the girliest girl ever to try and hike the PCT, hence my new name... Girly Girl. :)

DAYS 8-14

DAYS 8-14:

DAY 8:

5-1-2013

Miles 43-0

-Woke up and had a zero day at Mount Laguna Lodge

-Bought new backpack, mid-layer jacket, and hiking shorts

-Mailed home extra items

-New base weight is 20 pounds!!!! Woohoo!!!!! (I thought I had lightened my load to 18 pounds back at the kick off, but that was incorrect.)

DAY 9:

5-2-2013

Miles 43-59

-Left Mount Laguna for Sunrise Trail where we camped amongst the chaparral

-Fastest hike yet... very challenging but my legs were working wonderfully. I was averaging about 3mph. Yay! 

-Exhausted

DAY 10:

5-3-2013

Miles 59-77

-Left Sunrise Trail for Scissors Crossing where we hitched a ride with a man named Pedro to the town of Julian. Ive got blisters, burns, and bruises... all "battle wounds" I am proud of. I'm staying in a nice bed and breakfast here where they also did my laundry. I also finally found a boutique, Kathy's Dresses, where I bought myself a "town dress." They even gave me a hiker's discount! Its nice to feel clean and pretty! Ate some BBQ. Cleaned up and am about to go to sleep. 

DAY 11:

5-4-2013

Miles 77-91

-Woke up in Julian, ate a delicious breakfast, mailed a gift to mom, and did other errands

-Hitch hiked out of town back to the Scissor's Crossing part of the trail. Got there at 2pm. 

-Started back on the trail. Very hot outside. CONSTANT incline up a mountain for 14 miles. I hiked this in about 6 hours. SOOOOO tired! I think my body is getting used to hiking uphill as its getting easier for me with time. I sure am glad I lightened up my pack load!!! 

-Hiking sucks in the desert because you have to carry all of your water which weighs A TON. This means that before your hike, you must calculate how far you can walk per day on different terrains until you reach the next water source. Water is my lifeline, and I drink a ridiculous amount of water in the desert. I usually carry about 6 liters of water on me (more than a gallon) which weighs about 12 pounds. When you take that 12 pounds and add it to my 20 pound pack... I have a 32 pound pack to haul through the desert and up mountain ridges. I usually drink most of my water, with a liter to spare just in case a water source is dried up and unavailable. 

-We "cowboy camped" in the desert next to the water cache. Cowboy camping is when you don't sleep in a tent and its just you in your sleeping bag under the stars. This was the first time I cowboy camped and I loved it! It was incredible!

-I got my trail name!!!!! :)

DAY 12:

5-5-2013

Miles 91-93.5-91

-Woke up in the desert to a beautiful sunrise overhead and cool/cold weather

-Packed up and started on the trail from the 3rd pipe gate at mile 91. We were heading towards Warner Springs when my back started spasming and going out at mile 93.5. I was crying and going so slow. The rest of my group was ahead of me. I was trying to keep going but when I slipped into a bush and my thigh got stabbed with a branch, I thought I should just sit down and collect myself. Being alone in the desert while in pain sucked; but I knew my group would come back for me when they realized I wasn't at our rendezvous  point. Sure enough, they came back and found me. One of the guys and my good friend, Beave, decided to stay with me and help me get off the trail. He carried his pack AND my pack all the way back to the 3rd pipe gate at mile 91 while I hobbled along at a slug's pace. He made sure I was okay. I'm so lucky to have had that kind of support from another hiker. While camping out in the mountains, we looked across the valley and saw black clouds rolling over the mountain tops in the distance. The clouds were heading straight for us. Luckily I had cell reception so I could check the weather reports. Beave and I realized we might be hit hard with bad weather. The night turned out okay; it rained all night and we woke up to intermittent sprinkles and cold weather which felt nice since we were in the desert. 

DAY 13

5-6-2013

Mile 91-Julian

-My back was feeling a little stronger when I woke up, so Beave and I decided to hike off the mountain before the weather got worse. Instead of hiking downhill on the trail for 14 miles in high winds and rain, we blazed our own trail down the side of the mountain which was only about a mile or two to the road below us. We hitchhiked to a freeway junction with a friendly passerby. At the junction, we hitchhiked again and we were lucky enough to catch a ride with trail angel Checkers. Checkers is awesome, boisterous, and friendly. His laugh is just like Chris Farley's laugh! Checkers drove me and Beave back to Julian so I could recuperate and rest my back. I got myself a room at the Julian Lodge where bathtubs are available. I soaked in the bath, took Ibuprofen and pain meds, stretched, used a heating pad and ice pack, walked around a little bit, and laid in bed and rested. I later met Beave for dinner at the Rong Branch restaurant where we ran into Dave Super (owner of the outfitter in Mount Laguna) and another Canadian hiker. We all had dinner together. Aside from my back pain, it was a lovely evening. I went back to my room and had a great nights sleep. I was SO RELIEVED to be off the mountain because the weather got even worse according to reports. Even three hikers went missing in a snow storm just a few miles away from where Beave and I were. Search and Rescue has not found the hikers yet. 

DAY 14

5-7-2013

Julian

-Zero day in Julian, CA while I let my back and my blisters heal. I'm taking it easy and seeing how I feel. I'm hoping to get back onto the trail tomorrow.