Pockets

I walked 78 miles from the border this week to an RV park not far from a little town called Julian where I spent a season working as a wildland fire fighter 10 years ago.  My Dad is here with his trailer so I've gratefully taken advantage of the shower, laundry and food!

I saw some beautiful country this week.  Some of it was the way I'd imagined it would be- stark, barren, and hot but a lot of it was surprising in it's beauty and lush plant-life.  I suppose it has a lot to do with the early season but I saw a far more wild flowers and flowing creeks then I'd expected.  

I already met a number of interesting people on the trail.  I came across my first thru-hiker on my second day who is a native Czech but has been living in the states for at least a decade.  He is a nice guy- close to my age and was in the Boy Scouts in the Czech Republic so we have some things in common.  We have decided to call him "Waldo" for his tendency to pop up seemingly out of nowhere and to hide in plain sight.
  

I also came across a group of three women who are doing a section hike from the border about 150 miles North to the Palm Springs area.  Their trail names are Gottago, Happy-pants, and Just Kidding.  Gottago is 67, looks at least 20 years younger, and has seemingly boundless energy.  She did a thru-hike in 2002 and from what I gather is a pretty well known figure in the PCT thru-hiker community.  She played a big part in the idea for the bandannas they traditionally give out to thru-hikers at the annual kick-off party.  Just Kidding and Happy-pants are still fairly new to the sport but they are already itching to do a thru-hike of their own.  Just Kidding gave me my trail name "Pockets" because of the DIY pockets I sewed onto my hiking pants.  Thanks JK!   

After dark last night a sixth member joined our party.  We spotted a bobbing head-lamp a distance away on a hill-side and waited with interest to see who'd find our camp up in the high desert hills.  We never would've guessed in a million years that a man over 6 feet tall with an epic mustache and a name tag labeled "Butch" would come strolling in carrying a pack and wearing a white satin wedding dress!  

He can explain it better then I can so you can read more about him here.  He seems like a fun guy so I look forward to hiking with him.  

Tomorrow I push on toward my next resupply spot near Idyllwild.  I have a 24 mile push between water sources but I'll be well prepared with plenty of H2O.  OK, I need to have dinner and double-check my gear so tune in next week for more excitement on the PCT.