PCT Day 138

Start: 2619.1

Stop: 2639.9

Today’s miles: 20.8

Total PCT miles: 2354.6

Yep. That “future me” problem of the tent falling happened around 3:30 in the morning. I didn’t expect it to continue to get worse, but of course.. it did. I tried to fall back to sleep after fixing all my tent stakes, but I was real restless. We were still packed and on trail by 6:30.


We were greeted with another beautiful sunrise-the colors of cotton candy. The wind was still very intense, too. It felt like we were going to get blown off the trail. Even still, we walked and laughed and dealt with it. We’re getting so close to the border now that not much can rain on my parade.


The trail was overgrown but gorgeous. There were storm clouds off in the distance, but it never rained. The rocks were sticking out of the mountainsides in sharp, odd angles making for really cool formations. I made Marquis pose with a lamppost bush, both of us cackling now about how pissed off we were the other night when we hiked the wrong way in the dark, and he smacked into one of these.


We stopped at a campground for water and to eat a snack. The water tasted absolutely awful.. but with no other options, I poured more mio flavor enhancer into my bottle than is probably advisable. Marquis poured mio on his bread-so-Lord, please be with us, we are not ok. Lol.. but the break was nice and the campground was pretty. The trail cuts right through it. I wish it would cut through a dang Taco Bell.


We made it to Lake Morena campground by 1pm-somewhat cranky because of how hot it was. By 1:15, we got to the little restaurant down the road and ordered lunch. I got a Philly cheesesteak and fries and poppers-I should have gotten a burger, but believe it or not, I’m a little burger-ed out. Oh well. Choices were made, and I ate it all anyway.

While sitting there, Marquis saw a comment on our app about someone losing an item at the campground we just walked through, so after we ate, we went back to search for it. It’s a wooden spoon with sentimental value. Marquis found it and is going to mail it back to them when we get to Campo tomorrow. We filtered more water, that didn’t taste bad, and continued hiking another 5 miles to the next campsite.


It was mostly uphill, and though there were views of Lake Morena, neither one of us were that impressed. What did shake us up a bit was running into a tarantula. Marquis spotted the big thing and stopped-we watched it awhile and every time Marquis went to pass it, it came closer to him! It’s like it knew we were scared of it and it was messing with us! When it was my turn to go by, I literally ran, high knees and tip toes, and screamed the whole time.. Marquis got a good laugh out of that. I really don’t like snakes or spiders.. I can handle spiders a little bit better though.. not that anyone could tell with my reactions.


Our campsite is the only flat area not currently overgrown with poison oak. The stream nearby is also covered in it.. we had to ease through everything, watching every step, and then hunt for somewhere safe to set up camp. I went to put my tent right under a huge dead limb-so we moved my stuff and whacked at the limb with our trekking poles like a piñata. It was instant anger management. Once everything that could fall off, did-we finished setting up our stuff and had dinner.


It’s a little chilly but it isn’t windy-so I think we’ll sleep good night! We get into Campo tomorrow!! We could technically “finish” tomorrow, but I talked Marquis into not touching the border until Friday morning, Friday the 13! Ha! Ok.. that’s all I have 🙂 Sweet dreams, y’all.

PCT Day 140

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!

PCT Day 136

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!