[pct-l] 2018 story from the trail

[Paint YW]

Great Clif Notes of a hiker's first impressions on the trail. Excellent
post, and bully for your friend.

I remember fondly my first steps on the PCT trail... mile 152 near Paradise
Valley Cafe.

I had rode a train from central Illinois, to San Antonio, TX, to Palm
Springs, CA. My buddy (Evil Goat) picked me up at night, hauling me up the
mountain to Anza.

The next day he took me to the trail. I just about exploded with
excitement, but my emotions were tempered by the fact that a
memorial/monument had been erected at the trailhead in an ode to a young
man that was murdered on the spot, as he came upon burglars breaking into a
car and in doing so, was murdered.

Hiking the trail since 2012, save for 2017. Bounced back from a heart
attack, in 2017, by working the season up at VVR.

Permitted for 2018, and on the trail in about 10 days.

The most profound understatement that I ever made was in my rookie year...
saying something about how the trail would not change me.

It has perhaps changed me, more than anything else in my entire life. "I'm"
letting that sink in...

Get out there, for a day, week, month, season, or multiple seasons- if you
are lucky enough!

In deep gratitude,

Paint

On Sun, Mar 18, 2018, 7:28 PM Douglas Tow <douglastow at gmail.com> wrote:

> A wonderful friend of mine, 63, started the trail recently, and passes on
> these experiences:
>
> 1.  Not making the miles he thought he would make in the beginning.
> 2.  His feet are doing better than he expected.
> 3.  He isn't a hungry as he thought.
> 4.  The altitude has been an adjustment.
> 5.  Making lots of friends.
>
> All of this is normal, except most have some problems with their feet at
> the start.
> A bigger appetite will come.
>
> The friends are the best part...
>
> Chipmunk
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