Five days! Five! Holy CRAP, how did this happen?
The weather report five days out shows the warmest day of the year so far at the southern terminus — a high of 81, and sunny. I guess I’ll find out whether that trail umbrella is a good idea.
I’m nervous as hell about the water situation. I was planning to carry five liters, but based on the forecast I’m upping it to six (with capacity for nine or ten, in case of breakage, although I won’t carry that much actual water. I hope.). I doubt I’ll manage 20 miles on day 1, and there’s no water between the terminus and mile 20. They say you need to start hydrating for days before you hit the desert, so I’m currently drinking two liters per day to get all liquid and puffy. (For me, this is a staggering amount of water. On a regular day, I might drink… like… a cup.) I’m also in the process of weaning off of coffee — which, I confess, is my least favorite part of the whole thing. We’ll be back to coffee being a town treat! Hmmm… coffee.
I’ve shipped my first resupply box to Warner Springs. I’m on the trail for 109 miles no matter what else happens!
My pack is already in San Diego, waiting for me. On Tuesday, I’ve got two hours of trains then a six-hour flight, and after I get in, get picked up by the marvelous and wondrous Scout and Frodo, and get my food repackaged and my pack packed, it’ll have been an enormously long day, chock full of jet lag and cavity searches. I’ll be starting at the border on not many hours’ sleep.
Scary! Exciting! I’m seeing the rattlesnake photos, the bug photos, from the hikers who are already on the trail (and some are 600 miles in already!)… I’m hearing about all the bees that are attacking people (one horse died last week!)… and, of course, there’s also been major snow at elevation out there.
FREAKING.
OK, not so much freaking as being just ready to go. I was saying to somebody that I hate things where you really can’t have a dress rehearsal — you can only show up on stage and hope it all goes well. I’m glad my pack is in San Diego, because I kid you not, I’d be adding and subtracting stuff right down to the wire. Mostly adding. 🙂
Karma on the PCT 