I’ve hiked 150 miles now, which is the most I’ve ever hiked (every day past 40ish has been the most I’ve ever hiked). I feel like I’m in the groove, but there were some bumps to get over and some firsts. First hitchhike, first time doing laundry in a garbage can, first time tent fell in on me in the night, first time seeing a rattlesnake, and many many more.

Wake up calls can be very unpleasant. Around mile 100, many of us had some injury or pain to deal with. Blisters, foot pain, allergic reactions, knee injuries, and etc. made the hiker friendly camping area at mile 109 look like a field hospital, with people limping around, comparing mangled toes, and dressing feet. The hiker box (where hikers leave extra food and gear for other hikers to take) was full of abandoned shoes and the outfitter trailer nearby made a fortune putting fresh new shoes on dirty, painful feet.

I’ve had issues with runner’s knee in the past and hobbled into the place myself, the old familiar pain getting to be less of a distraction and more of a pressing need. I took a rest day there and got advice from other hikers. Then I picked up some KT tape and headed out again. The advice I got was to use more of the muscles in the backs of my legs for the downhill, when my pain was worse. Apparently I may overuse my quads, causing tension on the tendon connecting the patella. Since I don’t always have Google at the ready, I thought that it sounded right and gave it a try. The way I figured to use the back of my legs more is to kind of squat going downhill and clench my butt. It looks ridiculous, but my knee feels fine now. So it’s the ol’ squat and clench life for me here on out!

Speaking of injuries, I received a trail name (a tradition on long hikes where you get bequeathed a name). On one of the hottest days, my group stopped in a shady-ish area to have a snack. I was the last one to sit and felt a sting in my finger. Looking down, there was a cactus spine sticking out of it. After I pulled it out, I became aware of another pain and yelled “Do I have a cactus in my ass?!” I did. I’d sat on a small cactus-like thing, which a newly very close friend had to help get off (thanks, Eric!) Now I’m known as Cactass.

The trail angels have been really great and very interesting. I got a hitch from a guy who saw us at the roadside and left to get a bigger car to fit all of us and our packs in it. One lady gives all hikers a free beer, foot baths, and a place to hang out, even sleep on the floor of her restaurant. There’s a guy who makes stone fired pizza, but also beheads rattlesnakes and cooks them for hikers as well.

A bit about the days in general: the days seem both short and long. Eight miles goes quickly, but knowing I have one more mile to water, or a campsite, or a burger seems to last hours. The landscape is more variable than I thought the desert could offer. Within a day, there are exposed switchbacks with cactus and chapparral scattered on the mountainside, wide open fields with a huge blue sky, and shady forest with a creek running alongside the trail. The people are fantastic human beings and feel like family. You can make connections in a few minutes, see the person days later, and it’s like meeting a friend from high school, but even better, because you now have someone going through the same experiences.

As for the current situation, a snow/rain/hailstorm surprised us and we bailed off the mountain. It was the first time we’ve had to make a big trail-related decision. Since we had the opportunity to get out of the weather and because we probably weren’t prepared gear-and-experience-wise, we took it. Now the trail experience is a cabin in the woods, with a fire, coffee, and warm blanket, looking out at snow covered pines. It’s a good day.