Day 1: mile 0-15.4 (Howzer Creek)

4:15 am comes extremely early in the morning, though there is the benefit of being the first ones to the trailhead. Bob came around to make sure that we were all up. We had 7 of us, plus the dog, headed out to Campo this morning. We all fit, barely, and then headed out. Bob was in full tour guide mode while we were driving in, pointing out our road crossings and other small details that we would need to know to make our lives easier.

We all had to do our pictures, both group and individual pictures, in front of the monument.

                                                                                        

We were really 20 feet away from the border wall. It’s kinda crazy just how far south we are.

Bob was right. He said that the realization of exactly what we just got ourselves into would hit as soon as he drove over the hill and we lost his tail lights. Yep. It did set in around there, but probably a little bit further, once we started walking.

The first four-ish miles went well. Fun signs and, and since it was cooler, I let Lucky walk off leash, since there wasn’t the big danger of snakes yet. It felt good. Hiking the PCT seemed doable, all things considered.

We stopped with Jacqueline at a creek we came across. It was where we met Laundry Mat and Pika, two other hikers. We ran into other hikers as well, though they hadn’t earned their trail names yet.

The views were beautiful, even as the heat started building. For Washingtonians and a double coated black dog, it was hot. About mile 5, we reached an area that had been hit with wild fire a few years before. The underbrush had grown back, but the trees were still recovering. That meant no shade. Additionally, the ground was extremely sandy and abrasive, most notably on Lucky’s paws. We all kept pushing forward through the heat, hoping to get to some shade.

All the stories I have read, for the most part, don’t talk about how miserable the trail can be. I know it is day one and there is much more to come, but it is miserable, especially as you see people passing you with lighter packs who started later in the day. The mental part of the trail, what with my anxiety, is something I am not prepared for. I planned and did a lot to cope ahead for different situations, but not for the overwhelming emotional struggle. It’s exhausting.

We finally found some shade to crash land in for about an hour. Both Lucky and I weren’t doing well. We were overheated. Even though we kept offering Lucky water, he needed to be out of the sun due to his coat and not moving. He and I conked out for a while, napping during some of the hottest parts of the day.

We did get up and going after a while, and we were able to finally make it through the burned-out areas. It was just extremely hot and trying for me. I had a lot of small anxiety attacks throughout the day, as well as one big one about mile 11. Damon did point out that I really have done a lot of growing over the past few months, as he would have expected the breakdown a lot sooner, especially given we were up super early and all. It's a small victory, but a good one. The stress of the trail and all of my emotional baggage really wasn't something I had prepared for though. 

About mile 12, we did meet our first rattle snake. Damon has since made the comment that he fears for Lucky's sense of self preservation, and I have to agree with him. Damon typically is the front runner in our little pack, with Lucky in the middle and me at the rear. We came up on a creek that was running pretty well, which was probably why Lucky was a little distracted. The rattler didn't start up at Damon, but must have sensed Lucky was more of a predator, so he started rattling at Lucky. The dog looked once and kept walking, probably due to the heat and the desire for water. The snake was close enough that, had he had the mind to strike, he could have gotten me on the trail as I passed. He and I had a little bit of a back and forth, before he worked his way away and I slid on by on the trail. First day on the trail and already have seen a rattler.

The water was a wonderful respite. We met up again with Kelsey and Tillie, a gal hiking with her dog. They were really nice to run into. And then started the slog to the campsite. We camped at mile 15.4, Howzer Creek, which was where quite a few people were staying that night. We ended up being the third to last group to roll in to camp. The trip down into the ravine was not fun, but I made it. We were both exhausted and did everything we could get done done as fast as possible. It did mean a lot to me that Megan, Damon's coworker who hiked the trail last year, told me she didn't get as far in her first night. That was really encouraging, though really hoping that it doesn't mean we burn out quickly. Sleeping well tonight.