Started: Southern Terminus (0.0)
Ended: Hauser Creek (15.4)
Total: 15.4 miles
I was right. I barely slept at all. It was mostly nerves, but lying next to me was Yuriel. As we were getting ready to go to sleep he said to me “You are too fat and your pack is too heavy.” I told him that those who underestimate me are sorely disappointed in the end. Still, I stewed on that all night. Fortunately, he will be way too fast for me, so I will never see him again. He’ll probably get hurt after 200 miles after wearing himself out.
If that wasn’t bad enough, we woke up in the middle of the night and was adjusting his lightweight pad. He was terribly uncomfortable. I guess he didn’t try and sleep with his ultralight kit and we are AstroTurf. He is going to have a wonderful time sleeping when the ground is not completely even. At least I was comfortable while I lay awake!
If you want to see a well oiled machine, Scout and Frodo woke up 25 hikers, fed them, loaded them up on time. We were scheduled to leave at 0600 and we left at 0659.
Thirty minutes later, I was at the Southern Terminus.
The kids from Wisconsin posed together as well!
I touched Mexico.
It took a while for Jason to get all his video work done. With that, we took our first steps on the PCT. It was very warm and dry.
Our initial strategy for the day can be defined with a single sign:
We did pretty well at the start. I left with six liters of water. My pack was heavy but bearable. We found a heavenly water source at 4.4. We soaked our feet. The air was dry and I was drinking faster than expected. I drank to liters and refilled them.
Jason had a critical issue soon after. We stopped to rest at mile 6, because he he was complaining his butt was wet with sweat. When he reached behind, his hand was wet. It wasn’t sweat. His water bladders were leaking. He lost two liters of water and we still had 14 miles to go out of the canyon.
As we sat there an experienced hiker named Turbo came by. Jason explained way all his gear was out. With that Jason was baptized with his hiker name — Fishtank. Not even ten miles in, he earned his name and it was given by a veteran hiker.
What we should have done is go back to mile 4.1 and refill, but he decided to go forward. We talked about training for the hike. He barely did any.
With two longer rests, as I was climbing up a ridge I started to cramp up. My calves were great. My thighs were not. We found Candice and Jamie in a shady spot. Candice gave me some electrolyte tablets. She then lectured me on making sure I am supplementing my water. Candice was amazing. I hope to run into her again.
Then it was downhill into Hauser Canyon. My quads didn’t like the downhill and Jason was struggling as well. As we reached the bottom, I realized how brutal the climb will be out of here.
We kept it slow, and made it to camp by 1830. We camped with Jamie and Candice. I didn’t bother with my tent and just cowboy camped. I fell asleep in less than ten minutes.
Here are other photos I took:
