Note

Day 8 Monday 4/23 10:11am

I skipped writing the last two nights.  Sorry!  Saturday was a hard, lonely day.  I hiked very alone through the steep, rocky San Felipe Hills.  I had to stop often because of the heat, finally giving up for the 2 o'clock hour taking off my shirt and shoes, and sleeping in the shade of a spiney bush for an hour or so.  I woke up from my sweaty nap to the roaring of two super fast planes zooming through the canyons.  It was pretty thrilling.  I hadn't realized how close I was to a water cache, but less than an hour of walking led me to a shading section of lower trail where about everyone I've met so far was lying like dead fish trying to avoid the stifling heat.  I caught up with Michael, and the British couple, and Yotam and Nadav.  We all thought to hike a little further as it cooled off into a star spotted evening.  I've found some nice friends in Yotam and Nadav and I hope I can keep up with them on the trail.  I think I've secured Yotam's trail name as "Abba", which means "father" in Hebrew.  He has been pretty hilarious about hollering at me to wear sunscreen, and get a hat, and drink more water, way worse than my own dad.  What really killed me was when I was writing in my journal as the light faded, and he tried to loan me his head lamp so I wouldn't ruin my eyes.  And he wasn't even being silly!  Then he yelled at me to turn my light off and go to bed when I was still writing 15 minutes later.  He might have been being silly then.  But there's no way of knowing.  It was a really pleasant 14 so mile hike to Warner Springs the next day(Sunday).  Lots of meadows, and babbling brooks, and cows.  Disney movie stuff.  Unfortunately the town of Warner Springs doesn't really exist anymore.  There was a lodge type of thing here that hikers absolutely raved about with hot springs, and stores and restaurants, and phones, and internet, and etc.  The Indians bought it over this past year, and all that's left is a lonely little post office that I have to hustle over to very soon.  Even though it is disappointing to not be in a hot spring right now, the local high school has coordinated to set up a little hiker support shack that has been more than generous and accommodating.  There is a little store to buy snacks and random supplies, a little kitchen that serves lunch and breakfast, and we can camp off the fields that surround it.  All the volunteers are so nice, and so excited to be helping hikers.  It was a relaxing evening with beer and good company, and the preceding foggy chilly morning has cleared up into a cool, bright day. A perfect day for hiking, but I need a rest day.  Maybe I will hike out 6 miles or so later this afternoon, but now I have to get to the post office!

<3

till next time

Georgia

Day 5 4/20

Today was my toughest day yet, but I am extremely proud of myself, and have been rewarded with my first taste of trail magic!  I headed off on the trail pretty close to 5:30am.  I'm pretty properly in the desert now, and I knew that it was going to be blisteringly hot, and that my leg would be trouble.  The first 8 miles were quite trying.  Lots of steep descents, and I missed the turn off to the trail at one point, and walked about half a mile in the wrong direction.  Everything is gorgeous though.  I'm about the least inclined to pick up a camera of anyone I know, and I struggle to not take out my camera every few minutes.  So many brilliantly colored flowers, and views off the sides of ridges and into canyons.  My original goal had been to try and do 18 miles today, but with my leg I knew it wouldn't be easy.  However, the ten miles from where I stopped and ate lunch were not bad at all.  Very craggy hills, and I was singing and happy.  A giant rattlesnake was in the shadow off the path, and I really nearly stepped on him!  It spooked me a lot more than any other snake has.  He was so big!  And mad at me!  I basically had to scale the rock wall alongside the trail, grasping at spikey bushes, to avoid him cause he wasn't moving.  Around 5:30 I cam to Highway 78, Scissors Crossing, and my goal of 18 miles!  I have been hiking around a group of three women and a guy who have been pretty exceptionally nice to me.  Sweep, the man, has been making sure I'm doing okay, and he calls me "kid", which I've always liked.  He has hiked the trail at least once before, and his hiking partner is someone he met on the trail last year.  Now they are hiking again with her two daughters, and Sweep's wife is "angel-ing" them along the way.  By "angel-ing" I mean, bringing them food and supplies and generally supporting their hike.  She was at the trailhead in her truck with coolers full of soda, gatorade and beer inviting everyone who hiked past to help themselves.  Ice cold gatorade was amazing right then, and I was in a very good mood.  I couldn't see Yotam or Nadav, so I started to wander around to see if there was a good place to camp.  A bad fire had recently swept through right at the trailhead there, so camping prospects looked pretty limited.  Sweep came over to ask my plans and invite me to catch a ride with him and his wife to a campground about 4 miles down the road.  With a promise of showers and a meal with avocados I was more than sold.  So that was all a huge treat.  I showered, and when I got out the shower a giant spread of salad was laid out with avocado and spinach and mushrooms and chicken and all kinds of cheeses and dressings, and cookies and beer and even though I have mostly been fantasizing about popsicles, I don't think anything could have been better.  It was a later night than I have been used to, but cleaner and fuller than I have been all week, I'm fine curling up closer to 9 than 8.

Georgia

Day 4 4/19 Thursday 7:29pm

Today was a very hard day.  I have been compensating for my bad ankle and now my left knee is pretty shot.  It was a long, slow day hobbling along.  It was good to realize though.  I'm so bad about trying to keep up with people just a little stronger than me.  This adventure was supposed to be a lesson in not doing that, and first thing I do is pick two strapping young Israelis fresh out the Army to pace myself with.  It felt like when I was on the swim team in high school and wanted so badly to be in a lane with Sam and Alex Diamond, and I so nearly could, but it was so hard to keep up, and I'd never make the intervals.  People were so nice to me though, Maya gave me a bandage to wrap around my knee.  I've never done that before it actually works!  I met a nice new couple hiking the trail very slowly and happily together.  I sat with them and they loaned me some Icy/hot, and I was reassured by their lax pace and comfy smiles.  My respite with them helped me complete the last 4 miles, and a sweet note taped to a poast from Maya and Tov showed me to their camp.  It was a very pleasant evening, and I am going to try and take it a little easier.  It's the 4th freaking day! I'm sore, and tired, and missing my family and friends.  I'm not a superhero.  Chillout.  Everyone has started calling me "G". I love it.

Georgia aka "G" aka mere mortal

Day 3 4/18 Wednesday 7:15pm mile 45

I already look like a piece of beef jerky.  At least my hands do.  I scorched my thumb being too committed to lighting my stove in the wind.  I liked the early start this morning - 6am - and on the trail I hiked in the middle of the two sets of Israelis.  Yotam and Nadav a ways in front, and Maya and Tav behind.  The stretch of trail between sunrise highway and Fred's canyon was steep down on the right with a valley bathed the early morning sun below.  My friend from kickoff, David, and his hiking partner Micheal were at the little stream in the canyon.  I caught up with him as I filled up my water bottles, and then he and I hiked with the Israelis up the next steep stretch.  Yotam and Nadav and I chose a spot for breakfast nestled into the rocky wall of the trail.  We were joined by Maya and Tav, and spent the rest of the morning hiking at our own paces.  The temperature was a little cooler than the intense heat of the past few days, and there there was even snow on the ground in many places throughout the 12 mile hike to the store at Mt. Laguna.  Pine trees appeared very quickly a few miles before the store, transforming the rocky, scraggy climbs I'd been battling to Narnia-esque forest with large pockets of snow.  At the store we all reconnected.  I saw the Brits, all the Israelis, Michael.  The gang was all there.  I ate lunch out of my pack before treating myself to a push pop and extra strength chapstick from the store.  Most people stayed around the store for the night either in cabins or close by, but Michael, Nadav, and Yotam and I decided to press on a few more miles.  Supper, stretching, and very soon snoring is about how the evening went.  I'm very sore, and think it is going to be a cold night.  My legs are killing me, and I think the bottom of my feet are bruised.  There is a lot to look forward to over the next few days though, and I'm excited.  The Anza Borrego Desert!  Just before finding somewhere sheltered to sleep there was a magnificent view of the distant desert, and at the far end a dash of sparkling that is the Salton Sea.

Georgia

Day 2 4/17 Tuesday 7:16PM

I feel very small out here.  I'm not lonely, but I do miss my dad.  I couldn't have asked for a better nights sleep. We woke up at 6 packed up camp, and did an easy 3 miles to Lake Morena.  I took a shower and it felt amazing.  It seemed a little early in the hike to be showering, but there was no denying that I needed one.  I figure it's best to get in the habit of taking one when I get the chance.  While I was eating breakfast Papa went to fill my water bottles, and weren't we surprised to hear someone hollering his name.  It was David our good friend we made at kickoff last year!  He broke his back 6 weeks ago and is still trying to hike this year.  It was really nice to see him.  After breakfast it was time to say goodbye to my dad.  It was a pretty sorry sight as I set off from the Lake, waving blearily at the blob I could barely distinguish as my dad.  My tears dried soon enough, and I enjoyed the first solo leg of my adventure.  I felt stronger than yesterday, and the miles fell away through picturesque fields of yellow flowers, and shady stands of trees.  I took my shorts off and waded down stream at cottonwood creek until I got to a spot deep enough to slip under the rippling waves.  Refreshed, I pushed on until lunch time stopping at bolder oaks to eat more salami and cheese.  Those sugar snap peas are about the worst I've ever had, and I'm going to throw them away .  I hadn't seen another hiker all morning, but they all caught up with me as I took my after lunch rest.  The British couple, and two NEW Israelis came and sat with me, but I decided to keep hiking while they were still mixing their tuna.  The next stretch was quite steep, and very hot.  I got a stern warning from a rattlesnake just off the trail.  It took a lot of will power not to mess with it, because I couldn't tell how big he was, but everyone will be very proud of me that I held back and continued respectfully on my way.  I found the familiar campsite and Yellowrose Spring at around 5pm.  This is where I hiked to over several days last year when my leg was still a mess.  I washed my face in the spring and took my shoes off before starting supper, and was just adding olive oil to my mashed potatoes when the Israelis walked up.  I'm happy to share my campsite and get to know them better.  We all talked and ate and laughed and brushed our teeth, and now we are going to bed.  I remembered that "goodnight" in Hebrew was "lailah tov" and there was a chorus of that about two minutes ago.  It's 8:05. The Frogs are going nuts.  First complete day on the trail and I'm pretty sure this is going to be the best thing ever.  My sore throat and cough are gone, my groin-hammy that I strained yesterday feels better, and my pack is pretty comfy.  Probably going to hike as far as Mr. Laguna tomorrow. 



I miss y'all!
XOXO

Georgia

Day 1 Monday 4/16 7:14PM Mile 16.5

Really fucking fantastic first day. It was pretty Tuff, but I am surprised and pleased with how well everything went, and how good I feel right now. This morning began in San Diego. I flew into San Diego yesterday, and took a bus into town to meet my Dad at the train station. He was coming from a conference in LA. We were picked up by a trail supporter or "angel" , who we had arranged to host us for the night and drive us to the trail the following morning. Super nice ex navy guy. His dog just had puppies a few weeks ago, so there were 5 teeny miniature pinscher's being painfully adorable at his house. So soft! So rough and tumbly! I was happy for an early night. I started developing a cold - God damn the bad luck! And three hours of sleep plus a plane ride on Saturday was not doing me any favors.  I woke up feeling pretty good though, just a lingering raw throat, and hacking cough.  We got to the trail head at the Mexican border just before 7am. I t was a pretty wonderful moment. This time last year I came out to the trail even though my leg was still a bit of a broken mess, and I was a little bitter about not being able to hike.  It's definitely surreal to actually be doing it right now.  I'm sad that my dad is going home tomorrow.  He was going to do the whole first two weeks with me last year, but then I went and broke my shit and ruined everything.  It was a super special day with him today though, and I think he feels the same.  Pictures at the monument at the Southern terminus took a minute.  My mom special requested that I take pictures at the start of the trail in my favorite red high heels.  I wasn't thrilled by the idea.  A little embarrassing, and a recipe for another broken ankle was what I was thinking.  It was an awesome idea.  First of all, it was hilarious to be strutting around in my heels and hiking gear.  Totally evaporated the nervous butterflies.  Plus, I love those high heels.  They are my confidence shoes, and I've been wearing them when I want to feel sure of myself for like 7 years.  The PCT is the perfect place for my slutty stilettos!  Starting the trail was an amazing feeling.  My dad and I hugged, and off we went.  It was a beautiful, cool morning with no wind and everything sparkling with dew.  The first 3 hours were very pleasant.  We stopped at 10 for our first break.  My dad was getting some blisters from his crappy shoes and wanted to tape them up.  I messed with my GPS thing.  Our next stretch leading up to lunch time was where we started to feel it.  A little bitching: My pack is heavy! My leg hurts! I think I pulled a hammy! But that's it.  No sunburn, no blisters, and my shoulders and legs will get stronger very quickly.  The hiking was hard going at times, but on the whole I was happy the whole day.  Our rest at lunch time with salami and cheese and sugar snap peas was perfect.  Some hikers passed us while we recovered there.  A very sweet British couple, a group of 5, and two Israelis!  The Israelis I met last year on the trail, Stav and Elan, were so great.  Lunch was at about mile 12, and we were wanting to eat supper at Houser Creek at mile 16.  It was a relief to get to the creek.  There was a lovely little grass patch under a madrone tree that we chose to eat supper in.  Damn it felt good to eat and take my pack off.  The Brits and Israelis were camping at at the creek, but we wanted to get a bit further before calling it a day.  We had heard that the border patrol do some pretty intense late night scrutinizing of the trail area around the creek looking for illegal immigrants.  We told our foreign fellows, but they decided they didn't give a shit.  It was a pretty steep, exhausting 1/2 mile to end the day on as the sun set over the trail.  I'm glad we did it though.  I'm worn out, super cozy, surrounded by stars, and it's exactly where I want to be.  I'M ON MY FUCKING ADVENTURE!!  I can't get over it.  I spent a lot of today thinking about what the hell I"m doing out here.  Like why am I spending the next six months spending ten hours every day walking until I've walked the length of America.  There are a lot of things I could become really proficient in putting in this time and energy.  I'm really happy doing this though.

                                Me in my slutty stilettos! Starting MY FUCKING ADVENTURE!!!!

you can check out the rest of my photos here:
https://plus.google.com/photos/105279516800615047684/albums/5733602173402454081?authkey=CPTyl7OwobDFSQ

not sure when I'll have another photo update, but posts should be fairly regular.

Lots of Love,

Georgia