T-1 day, To the Start I Go

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Shower, bed, air conditioning, window blinds, couches, chairs, TV; things I see as I get ready to walk out of my hotel room that will soon be foreign to me. 

I sat to do my morning scripture reading, and the first one given to me, as so often is the case,  seems fitting.

I had a small breakfast in the hotel lobby restaurant, and after a short quarter-mile walk, I met twelve fellow hikers who would suit join me in boarding the PCT southern terminus shuttle for our ride to the start of our journey. 

This shuttle is run by two fellow through hikers named “One Speed” and “Just Paul”.  Some of the others catching a ride the trail like myself already have a trail name others will get them soon. Our group consists of 13 people representing Nebraska, Colorado, Minnesota, Ontario Canada, Germany, Australia, Texas, and myself representing California.

Our first stop, was the San Diego REI to pick up anything we could not fly with, or may need to supplement with such as our stove fuel. 

Next we came to the town of Campo where CLEEF is located, about .4 miles from beginning of the PCT “The Southern Terminus”. We first stopped at the Campo Green Store, which is an iconic location for PCT hikers in the town.

CLEEF is an official staging area for those who arrive and plan to wait a day before starting the trail, for tonight that will be 8 of us.

Many hikers sign the wall of the shelter at the beginning of their hike.

Experienced my first hurdle tonight, when I set up my sleep system I laid down on my belly, and had my glasses in my shirt collar….. poked a hole in my sleep pad!!!! I patched it with some “tenacious tape” and it seems to be holding. I don’t want to start with a patched pad, and fortunately I bought the pad at REI who has a 1 year no questions return policy. In the morning I will ride with the shuttle back to pick up more hikers and then head to REI with the new group. As a bonus, I will meet six new hikers and still make it back to start the trail at noon with plenty of time to make my campsite goal at mile 11.4; as a added plus, I won’t need to kill time in the afternoon.