Sunday, 4/27: pat and I are off to a good start. Cousin Dave dropped us off at the southern terminus on Wednesday morning at 6:15. We spent a whole half hour taking pictures and posing, and then we set off with soaring spirits. Both of us were ecstatic to begin. We quickly met our first few hikers and one of them named Pesky offered us a chocolate bar. True love. We only hiked about 5-6 miles that morning before setting up our tent to wait out the morning heat... It didn't help. Note to self, set up the tent in shade to avoid a sauna. Unfortunately the hitch hiking sign we made on the back of pats sleeping pad in permanent marker, rubbed off all over the bottom of our tent and therefore our bodies. We looked like we had been in the wilderness for years, not hours. Around 5, we continued walking to mile 11, and slept at a campsite right off of an old jeep road. We were happy to get some sleep.
We woke up at 4 am and hiked to houser creek camp ground, where we stumbled upon our first water cache! Although we still had plenty of water, it was a friendly sight as we walked on by. Houser creek is at the bottom of the first real climb in the pct- about 2,000 feet. We got to the top and felt proud and sweaty. Our first destination, lake Morena, was 4 miles past the climb, and so we pushed onwards. We arrived at the kickoff in lake Morena at about 11am.
The ADZPCTKO
( annual day zero pacific crest trail kick off) is the annual kick off party for all the pct hikers (past,present, and future), trail angels and supporters, and anyone who wants to attend. It was simply fantastic. The event was so well organized and there were so many helpful opportunities for hikers. We went to a few presentations on pct trail conditions and closures, the water and snow report, and Desert hiking. It was very informative and helpful. In addition, we met some trail celebrities including Yogi (!!!!!!) and Halfmile (!!!!!!)- two resources that pat and I have utilized like crazy- we would be have literally been lost without them.
Another cool thing that the kickoff offers is the chance to shop at vendors in the hiking industry. We saw some awesome brands that we've read a bunch about but couldn't buy on the East coast. I bought a new pair of toe socks because I was getting some blisters between my toes and a new hat! I'm really excited about the hat because the one that I bought in preparation for the trail, shimmies right off my head when I am in my sleeping bag. I am also sooo thankful for the additional warmth. I have been cold. Very cold. There was an abnormal cold front that came through the desert over the weekend and it was very chilly. Thank goodness pat is a furnace, she has been warming up my hands when I'm cold- she's the best.
The kickoff also offers an ordeal called the "shakedown," where experienced hikers comb through your pack and help you shave off Ounces, or in some cases, pounds... We were the latter. I actually endured a double shakedown (I'll give you more details on that later). It is this incredibly helpful opportunity but at the same time it really stinks because they are telling you to get rid of things that you have spent hours researching and agonizing over. It's also a little humiliating because as they are sorting through your pack, other hikers will mosey on over and check out what you were dumb enough to bring. My most embarrassing item was a pair of blue latex dish washing gloves. I read on blogs that they were great to slip on over your warm gloves to keep your hands dry and toasty when it's raining. They also told me to chuck my knife, rope, poncho, all natural shampoo bar, carabiners, dry sacks, my sleeping socks (to be replaced with a lighter pair), half my med kit, certain straps on my pack, the strap on my crocks, inflatable pillow, compression sack, and some other small items that were at one time genius. They cut 4.6 pounds off of my pack, and Pat saved 3.9! It's awesome to know our packs are lighter but it's easy to miss some of the items that we shipped home.
One incredible story from the kickoff is that pat was spotted by a German television show who want to do a slot on hikers doing the pct. After talking to us for a while they asked if they could film us during certain parts of the trail-including the shakedown. So I reloaded the dish washing gloves, rope, pillow, shampoo, etc. into my pack and endured the comb-through again...I hope the German audience will overlook the gloves. We did a couple of interviews (Pat spoke German) and they filmed us while we shipped off our gloves and extra gear and walked around the kickoff. The best part of this was, and what made publicizing my shakedown worthwhile, was that pat received a new awesome pack!!! ULA is a company that makes backpacks specifically for the pct. The company was started by a trail-vet, Chris, and has become highly rated in the pct community. It was perfect because Pat's old pack was starting to buckle in her lower back. Special 41, the hiker who did our shakedown, made this whole thing happen and connected us with Chris. We send our MASSIVE thanks to both of them.
On the first day of the kickoff, we received some very sad and tragic news. A young hiker died on his second day of the trail, just past Houser Creek. It was said that he might have suffered from a heat stroke and dehydration. Pat and I want to send our thoughts and love to his family. Since our time on the trail, we have noticed an extremely supportive community with a shared goal. To lose a hiker who had the courage to embark on a thruhike was a shock and loss to everyone. Pat and I think about him every day.
We commenced walking on Saturday. I can't tell you how spectacular this part of the trail is. I thought desert hiking was supposed to be hot and dull, but we have loved all of the vistas. At times, the trail has been a rich orange color surrounded by dense green bushes, glowing white rocks, and so many bright flowers. A mile later it will be a dark brown with pine trees shooting up all around it and massive pine cones littering the bright green grass. It's incredible. At higher elevations we have looked out over valleys and mountains that look blue in the morning light. We have seen so many bird species and all different types of flora and fauna. Every once in a while Pat and I will look at each other with ridiculous grins on our faces because the views are so amazing.
Well that is all I have time for right now. Service has been really tricky, but I will try to post more later.
Love to everyone!
Sara and Pat