Day 7: Time for Some Drugs

March 28, 2018 00.0 I awoke the next morning to find that the cream had actually caused the rash to spread! I immediately walked over to the nearby clinic and made an appointment to see a doctor. Thankfully it didn’t take long and I was directed to come back around 1pm to pick up aContinue reading “Day 7: Time for Some Drugs”

Day 6: Early Zero in Julian

March 27, 2018 00.0 The following morning my poison oak rash was so bad I knew I had no choice but to hitch into town and see a doctor asap. The worse part on my thigh was swelling up in a red, angry manner, and the bits of rash on my hip were starting toContinue reading “Day 6: Early Zero in Julian”

Day 89: Finally Getting Back on Trail

June 18, 2018 3.5 from Horseshoe Lake to the PCT, then mile 903.3-909.0 I struggled to get up the next morning. I was anxious to get back on trail, but more because I could feel the time slipping away than because I was excited to actually start hiking again. I was determined to finish sometimeContinue reading “Day 89: Finally Getting Back on Trail”

Day 5: At which point everything collides…

March 26, 2018 41.5-52.6 The next morning was Day 5 on the trail for me and I was not feeling very well. I’d slept alright in the cafe in a space between two tables that Shante had reserved for us, seeing as we were the only two women in the group of about 20 hikers.Continue reading “Day 5: At which point everything collides…”

Day 4: First Burger on Trail!

March 25, 2018 32.6-41.5 As the sky turned grey and I could hear people moving about in their tents nearby, I reluctantly crawled out of mine and hurried through the frosty air to the restrooms. Good Lord, it was cold! The Trail Angels were already up and busy, calling me over for fresh coffee andContinue reading “Day 4: First Burger on Trail!”

Day 3: Chilly in the Desert

March 24, 2018 20.0-32.6 The next day I got a somewhat late start but felt refreshed and ready to hike. The trail was gentle and the sky overcast and I was enjoying myself immensely. The trail was nice and wide leading away from the Lake Morena campground and was surrounded by manzanita trees. Shante caughtContinue reading “Day 3: Chilly in the Desert”

Day 2: A Short Day

March 23, 2018 15.4-20.0 When I crawled out of my tent the next morning around 7am many hikers already had their tents down and were scarfing a quick breakfast before hiking out. Lee and Sarah were long gone. I wasn’t nearly as sore as I expected I’d be that morning but I decided to stickContinue reading “Day 2: A Short Day”

Day 1: Finally on the PCT!

March 22, 2018 00.0-15.4 The next morning Judy put out a delicious breakfast spread and coffee, and we all ate our fill before piling into their two cars and heading south toward the Mexican border. The drive was a little nerve-wracking for me. I rode up front with John and the German couple rode silentlyContinue reading “Day 1: Finally on the PCT!”

T – 1 Day to Kickoff

“Good afternoon, everyone! On behalf of Southwest Airlines, we’d like to welcome you to this Boeing 737 non-stop flight to Tahiti…” I was sitting in my seat gripping the armrests and the plane hadn’t even detached from the boarding ramp yet. The flight attendant paused in his speech, looked down at the papers in hisContinue reading “T – 1 Day to Kickoff”

Disclaimer: Please Read This First

If you’re looking for a blog that’s going to excite and inspire you to embark on an epic 6-month thru-hike, this might not be it. Sorry. This is a hard-line account of my experience hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and is not a success story, if success is measured in finishing because, full disclosure, IContinue reading “Disclaimer: Please Read This First”