Reflecting on my First Week on the PCT: 100 Miles Down

And They’re off!

Wow, what a beautiful whirlwind this past week has been! It is crazy how quickly time moves on a long distance hike. Each day feels like you have lived 10 entire days. To demonstrate how much changes in just a week, I am currently typing this blog on a laptop that belongs to my new best friend from Austria in a motel in a cute little town in Southern California. 

Blogging on the Trail

To be completely honest, I am currently writing while my brain is on low power mode. It is so much more difficult than I thought it would be. When you are in town, all you want to do is lay down in rest, but in reality you are running all over the place – the post office, grocery, laundromat, etc. trying to get everything done in a short amount of time.

When I wrote my pre-trail blogs, I was able to write in the perfect conditions – after a night of plenty of sleep, sipping a coffee, not worried about how much time is passing. I can’t just decide I am going to write a blog, I have to wait until the ADHD motivation strikes and conditions are perfect. So, I am doing my very best right now! I know it will get easier to incorporate it into my routine as time goes on.

Early Days

My trip started out smoothly with a shuttle to the CLEEF campground the night before my start date. It was so comforting to meet a ton of other PCT hikers before starting. The hosts of the campground are volunteers, and had us sit for a fireside chat to teach us safety lessons about water crossings, hydration, and getting into town. It is a great reminder that we are not going for an easy walk in the park, and need to be aware of the risks and how to manage them appropriately.

This is Real!

I headed out on a foggy morning with Tunes, Nacho, and another hiker after scarfing down pancakes and fresh fruit made at the campground. We were confused by the weather, as everyone told us how hot and dry this section would be. We waited in line for our PCT permit tags for our backpacks, which is what finally made this trip feel real to me. I have been dreaming about that permit tag since I completed the Oregon section of the trail in 2022. We took our picture in front of the monument at the border, and were officially on our way! Tunes and I became instant friends, and had a blast stimming on Spongebob quotes and cackling down the trail. 

A New Way of Life

For the first few days, I was completely buzzing and thinking, “I CANT BELIEVE I LIVE HERE!” It is unbelievable how quickly the trail becomes your home, and this way of life becomes your new normal. You become a pro at setting up your tent, planning resupplies, finding the right gear setup, etc. Your routine now involves waking up at 53o, quickly packing, digging a cat hole, prepping a cold instant coffee and eating an uncrustable on the go by 6. Morning miles are my favorite, because the weather is perfect and the world is quiet. 

The Pink Potato Club

By day 3, I already had a tramily (trail family) consisting of three women including me (new trail name alert! I’m now Catato), Tunes and Lost. Our tramily name is The Pink Potato Club. We have a great energy together, and are known for always having fun and cackling along the trail. Other hikers have said they can hear us laughing and singing from a mile away. We aren’t taking our hike seriously and aren’t worried about hiking big miles or going fast right off the bat. We love to explore the trail towns, and so far have gone to a bluegrass concert and dinner put on by a local church, sang Karaoke at a bar, and gone to lots of cool local spots.  We also have an extended tramily including Sparkles and Found, who we somehow keep running into without planning to. It is always a fun surprise!

First Hundred Miles Down

The first hundred miles have consisted of many rattlesnake encounters, which is exciting for me since I love snakes! It is not as exciting for Tunes and Lost, who scream bloody murder and run away at every sighting while I try to snap a pic before the snake slithers off. We have seen so many beautiful desert plants and mountain views. We’ve hiked in fog, rain, very cold temperatures, and extreme desert heat. We have met so many kind strangers and trail angels who just want to make our hike more enjoyable.

More to Come…

I already feel much stronger, and am able to hike bigger miles. I am having a blast on the trail and making it a point to not take this hike too seriously. I cant wait to see what is to come with the next stretch!