Author: Courtney

Start: 2654.5

Stop: 2655.2

Today’s miles: 0.7

Total PCT miles: 2370.3

WE DID IT!! We touched the Mexican Border!! I want to yell “WE FINISHED” but that isn’t exactly true. Marquis is going to fill in his gap, so he will be completely finished this year. I’m as finished as I’m going to be for this year, now, too! I’ll just have to fill in my couple of gaps next year sometime.. there just isn’t enough time to get them done before I leave for Egypt. So.. what the hell.. IM FINISHED!! Haha

We didn’t sleep that great, because border patrol trucks drove through every hour or so all night. Around 5-6am, huge concrete trucks and the like were also driving though, to get to their construction site nearby. Since we cowboy camped, packing up was a breeze. We packed and walked that mile so quick! I kept my crocs on instead of switching to my real shoes, because why not?

We took a trillion pictures, I’m sure I’ll post most of them to my Facebook, but the two of us posed and laughed like lunatics, and drank our celebratory wine at 7:30 in the morning. I call it a success! While we were there, two men came up in their Tesla. One guy was going out for a shakedown hike to check out his gear. So, we all four stood around chatting and talking all things gear and base weight. He was really nice and so excited about his trip!

We finally walked back to CLEEF, the feeling of being done not really setting in yet for me. We hung around and ate breakfast while we waited for a trail angel, Kathy, to come pick us up. She took us to her house, we showered, did laundry, and drank coffee. She’s incredibly kind for allowing us into her home, smelly and beat up.

Around 1 or so, she drove us to the transit center and we took a bus to San Diego. We were going to eat a quick lunch, but I think they assumed we were homeless at the one restaurant we went to, because no one would come to serve us. Rude. So, Marquis and I left, then said our goodbyes on the street corner. I already miss him.

I took an Uber to the airport and I’m sitting in the Delta SkyLounge waiting for my flight to LAX. My plan is to fly to LA, then to Orlando. I arrive in Orlando tomorrow morning and will get my rental car-then spend the weekend in a cute town nearby for my sister Michele’s wedding-which is Sunday. On Monday morning I’ll drive back to Orlando, fly back to LAX-since I had already purchased the flight forever ago.

I’ll spend 2 days in LA exploring, then 2 days with Andrea in Reno. I’ll get my stuff I’ve left and I’ve sent to her house, she and I will get all of our Egypt stuff worked out: clothes and flight details and all that-and then I’ll fly home on Friday, 10/20 and show up at my mom’s birthday dinner! She doesn’t realize that I just finished the trail today, and I’m going to hide that fact from her until next Friday when I can surprise her on her big day.

Her actual birthday is Saturday, 10/21-and now that I’m coming in on Friday, I can go with her to the birthday party my grandma is having for her and several of my aunts (they have 4-5 birthdays really close together). I’m super excited to see everyone, it’s been entirely too long since I’ve seen so many of them! I don’t even know who all is coming-but I can’t ask or I’ll risk tipping her off.

Anyway. This is probably my last post until we start our Egypt trip. We leave 10/31-so, it won’t be that long of a gap.. and I’m still super behind on uploading these posts-so it might not be long at all before I get the Egypt ones up! Ha! Let’s pray their WiFi is better than some of the towns on the PCT!

Once I’m back home after the 6 week trip (so December) I’ll go through my PCT budget and give out those details. I’m almost certain I spent more money than I did on the Appalachian Trail. I quit paying attention somewhere in Northern California! But, I’ll get that worked out and let y’all know 😉 For now, the plan is to fill in the gaps I skipped next august-ish, and Andrea might do the Dunsmuir to Etna chunk with me!

Ok. I love y’all. Thanks for following along! I’m sorry if these posts have been simple and straightforward, boring even.. I know they’re not very deep or profound, but sometimes it’s too much to get everything I’m feeling out on “paper” ya know? Please know I appreciate each of you and cannot thank you enough for your support and words of encouragement. It means the absolute world to me and I don’t know that I’d be able to push myself to finish these difficult trips if I didn’t have you to write for-because then I’d feel like I’d be letting y’all down if I let myself quit. So. Sincerely, thank you.

See y’all in Egypt!

Start: 2545.9

Stop: 2595.5

Today’s miles: 31

Total PCT miles: 2310.2

I think I slept ok, but Marquis and I decided last night to get up before the sun this morning and tackle a long day-a day that ended up being one of my favorite!

We were up, packed, and on the road by 5:30am. And when I say “on the road” I do mean that literally. Instead of hiking on the trail, we decided to do a Create Your Own Adventure Day, and we road-walked. Sometimes, you just need a break from all the bushes and monotony.

We walked, cracked each other up, watched the sunrise, and I mooed at cows as we passed by farm after farm and field after field. It was beautiful. The two lane road started to get more traffic around 7-8am, and we were grateful we left so early to get a head start. The temperatures were perfect, just a slight chill in the air.. I was in Heaven. The break from my legs being attacked and being able to simply walk without an obstacle was sincerely great for my mood.

Mid morning we made it to the town of Santa Ysabel. There were a few bakery spots open so we picked one and went in. I got a spinach “croissant” thing that made me think of the pastry I was obsessed with in Stehekin, Washington. It was definitely not that-but I did like it enough to get another one for the road.

We quickly got back out there and started making our way towards Julian, California. It got hot while walking uphill on a two lane road. However, before too long, we were walking into our second stop of the day: Mom’s Pies.. the location in Wynola. The girl gave us a free slice of pie and a scoop of ice cream when we showed her our PCT permit. Sweet!

We sat in the air conditioning and enjoyed our sweets while our phones charged at a nearby outlet. Once our pies were gone so were we! We were back outside in the blazing sunshine, walking the rest of the way to Julian. I loved that cute little town so so much! We resupplied our food at a little grocery store with few options, then made our way to our 3rd stop of the day- to the other Mom’s Pies location.

This time I got pecan pie with butter pecan ice cream. It was deeeeeelicious! Marquis and I were both so dang full, but I talked him into pizza anyway. I wanted to have some to pack out for lunch tomorrow. So, down to the end of the Main Street we went. I ordered a pizza and we sat outside to wait on it. While we sat, a guy came up to us after noticing our packs and then bought us a beer each! How sweet! We talked and ate and enjoyed a beer with him.. then sadly had to call it quits because we still had to walk all the way back to the trail.

With even more roadwalking, we did eventually make it to the trailhead. We got water from a nasty cistern coated with neon green gunk-thankfully the water came out of a spigot below the green goo.. so it came out clear and not chunky at all. Whew. So, with fresh water, we walked to the first campsite on the trail and set up shop. The sun was mostly gone, making the walk to the camp a pretty one.. with those burnt oranges and neon pinks glowing before the darkness set in.

Since we already ate dinner, we just unpacked and huddled into our quilts. It’s windy, but nothing like the other night when we thought we’d get blown off the mountain. Ah, so 4 food stops and a whole lot of asphalt walking, laughs, and fun-I’d day today was a blast. I’m so full I can’t breathe! Ha! Goodnight, y’all!

Start: 2523.7

Stop: 2545.9

Today’s miles: 21.8

Total PCT miles: 2260.6

Neither Marquis nor myself slept very well last night. The ground was slightly slanted, just enough to make my sleeping pad slide throughout the night. We were still up and on our way around 6:30, immediately getting attacked by the scrubs and branches and bushes were were supposed to get through last night.

We finished the climb and made it to Mike’s Place.. which is a property with a home on it, assumed to be owned by Mike.. and he has a water tank set up for hikers so we can get water in an otherwise dry stretch of trail. I talked with Aunt Kathy while our water filtered, because it’s her birthday! She got the moon flower seeds and card I sent her. I’m really missing home.

We kept hiking and besides being hot and buggy, it was uneventful. By 4:30, we hit the road that takes you into the tiny town of Warner Springs. We walked the road to the gas station, the only thing open, and got some snacks that we really didn’t need. We ate and drank out at a picnic table, then continued walking to the rec center. It meets right back up to the trail, and they let hikers use their WiFi, they have bathrooms with running water, drinking water, picnic tables. We just hung out and cooked dinner there.. both taking complete advantage of the bathrooms.

As the sun set, we got out our headlamps and walked about half a mile to set up camp on the trail, but away from the road. It’s creep here. We had to clear out lots of leaves from the tree above us. And we keep hearing animals crunching around nearby. Marquis’ pack fell over unexpectedly, and while I jumped, he screamed.. we both about died with laughter. Good to know he finds it creepy here too! Haha!

It’s definitely an earplugs kind of night. I have no desire to know what’s moving around out there! Goodnight y’all.