Here we go...

It's all happening! We started at the border yesterday and had the longest day-hike of our lives from Campo to Lake Morena. Brett's dad joined us and did an awesome job, although I'm sure he's having a rough time today. We got to Lake Morena a little past dark and were greeted by cheering from a bunch of kick off-ers. Thanks guys! We still had some stuff to take care of so ended up going home for the night to sort it all out. Just have to run by the post office and head out to the Kick Off festivities today. After the kick off, we've decided to flip up to where we left off a couple weeks ago at Scissors Crossing (the shoe tree) and continue on from there 'till Brett's brother's babe arrives.

We have received so much help and support from our loved ones. Thank you so much!

-Dana

Training Section?

Got back yesterday from our hike of mile 20 to mile 77.5. Thats 57.5 on trail, and 60 overall including off trail water, hard cider and briefly being on the wrong trail.

Although this was intended as a training hike, it feels like we have started the trail and for some strange reason are taking 3 weeks off.

Brett

Hello

Getting used to this new space. There might be a few cobwebs for a while, but the adventure begins April 26th! We're also on Postholer and Facebook. Not sure yet which one will get more use. Posting photos soon of our recent trip--60 miles on the PCT from Lake Morena to Scissors Crossing.

Over and out!
Dana

Days 1 thru 4-Morena to Scissors Crossing Test Hike

It's 130 am. We finished day 3 of our test hike along the pct. Walked close to 20 miles on day 2 and 3.  I can't sleep.  It's the first night I've had to sleep with grime  seeping from my pores.  No amount of  wet wipes seems to cure this.  I never anticipated this, but  we've also learned a lot on this trip about trail life.  Day 1, we got lost before  even getting to the trail coming out of lake Morena. We were following some kind of road thinking it was the pct.  We came across some red  and grey furry creature  hovering over something. We were all pretty freaked out. Whatisthat!? We were nervously reaching for our knives. I swear, I almost took a picture in case something happened to us. We'd have data  for the coroner  and proof of la chupacabra.  Anyway it turned out to be  the most tan homeless  person we'd ever seen.  Obviously this wasn't the pct.  But  it met up with the pct by a bridge. On this trip I've learned that the pct could never be the real world people talk bout. As soon as you get on it you see all the care that goes into it. All of the people's generous hard work that come together to form the pct. I've also had a taste of a hiker community that I hadn't put much thought into. When planning this thing I had never thought of doing it for the comradery and community. Now I know it's all about giving and receiving and the power of communication between  these strange modern nomads  in new  clothes with shiny reflectors and trekking poles.  South bounders telling about the  steep slope ahead and  us telling him about the water  tank 1/4 mile off trail and where to hide from the  wind. Following a person's  trekking pole marks for days and by the time you meet them, you feel you know them. From meeting Hiker Bill to getting water info from the ranger I feel like the info seems to come naturally in  most cases. We experienced our first trail magic at Pioneer Mail and left with too little water because we wanted to save some for the section hiker and his kids behind us. In the end, we always found water. We missed the trail again when we headed too far on chariot truck trail. Missing the pct because the sign was facing straight and the trail was so narrow it looked like a short animal path. We've now learned the look of the pct. The pct is a well loved well, cared for, happy trail. If you feel that it's become ominous or you start to think wow, I must be ahead of the pack because there aren't very many footprints here...you're probably not on the pct. Like Jacob said, one can't express enough how many footprints there are on the pct! About 7 miles tomorrow  to  scissors crossing then  Julian apple pie, beer, using the gift certificate I got for Ruth's Chris for sure!  And excitedly planning our return to the PCT.  









First Steps.

This is right after we lost the PCT and walked down (and back up) a dirt road for a half hour. Happy to find the trail!