This is exactly the same hike I described in one of my training hikes. During training the weather was pretty bad but today the weather was about as perfect as you can want for hiking in the desert. It was in the lower 60’s and clear with a slight wind. I remembered how this section of the PCT kicked my ass during the training walk and I was hoping that today would be different. From my performance so far, I had no reason really to expect it would be any easier and in fact it was not. It is just a lot of uphill hiking and I am having a hard time catching my breath, so I stop quite often. I don’t stop for long periods of time but enough so that 2 miles per hour is about as fast as I get. Anyway, I have decided that I will stay in a motel in Mt. Laguna and call Lenora and ask her to see if she can get a reservation and wanted to come up and spend the night and then we would go home the next day. So rather than hiking on Thursday till the end the day, I will spend it at home with Lenora and then that night go to the spiritual retreat weekend. Lenora is able to make the reservations but gets a little attitude from the guy she was talking to. Something about you husband is a big boy now and should be able to make his own reservations. Pretty funny. Eventually he does allow the reservations to be made. There was not a lot of traffic on this portion of the trail today. I suspect everyone that started on the 6th and 7th has already passed me and of course those to started today have not caught up yet :). One person did pass me while I was stopping to catch my breath. He was doing the PCT piece meal and this year he was doing the two sections that he had remaining to complete the trail. His name was Daniel with a trail name of Toucan and perhaps he could see something in my eyes because he gave me a lot of encouragement about how the trail would become more scenic and that as time went on I would get more energy. Basically this is going to get easier so keep it up. There was also a runner who passed me running up the trail with weights in his hands and then before I got to Mt. Laguna this same runner passed me going back down. I was not amused. Just keep moving one foot in front of the other and eventually made it to the Pine trees that signal that Mt. Laguna is near and coming from the desert into the Pines there was an over whelming smell of Pine. Do not remember having that sensation last time I did this trail but it was welcoming and invigorating this time. I got to Mt. Laguna, exited the trail and made it to main road and not 60 seconds later, Lenora drove by. Amazing timing. We had a good night.
Lenora’s Note:
A hiking day for Don but a 0 day for me. Thankful for another day to rest. Air bags really pack a wallop. Chest hurts when I take a full breath and the bruises from air bags and seat belt are very colorful. I am so happy Don decides to stop in Mt. Laguna but I leave home anxious to make it up there in time to check in at the lodge before the store closes. Looking forward to the weekend. Don will be home all day before going to Whispering Winds for Cursillo and I will get to join him on Sunday. Busy day repairing things and fashioning a hiking pad for his backpack.
Friday is Adoration Day and I love the time with Jesus and spend much of it in praise for our blessings while asking for continued protection for Don. I also get to pray for the men on the Cursillo retreat. The time passes so quickly and I am reluctant to leave.
Saturday Don is hiking and I am at Women’s Ministry with my chest still hurting so I let them convince me to get checked out. I go to the urgent care center and the doc tells me there is no evidence of fracture but my ribs are bruised and it will take about 3 weeks to feel better. I am relieved and determined to take it all in stride.
Sunday is closura and Don is ready to be done so I meet him ‘on the mountain’ at the end of the Men’s Cursillo weekend.