Day 1 – Southern Terminus to Hauser Creek, mile 15

April 21. Big day. First day on the PCT.

Slept quite ok at S&F’s place, considering the excitement about the start. Around 3am, I woke up the first time and kept turning around. Finally got up at 5am. All the six of us in the tent were scheduled for the 6am shuttle to the terminus. Packing up, quick breakfast, then about one hour drive to the terminus.

We took the mandatory photos at the monument, then the hikers took off around 8am in small groups heading North to Canada. I ended up walking more or less in a group of four – a Canadian, Danish, Austrian and myself.

The first miles were easy – it wasn’t hot yet. Around mile 8, Eric the Canadian spotted a bee hive just at the trail. We just stood there, maybe 5 meters away, and I got stung the first time in my hand. Those bees were aggressive! We ran back some meters, some bees were following. With no way around the bee hive in the terrain, we decided to run by. I caught another bee in my hat… Twenty meters after the bee hive, I got stung the second time, this time above the ear. What a start. But now I know for sure I am not allergic to bees. 😉

We took a longer lunch break at mile 10 to wait out some of the heat. Didn’t help too much… The next miles got tougher in the heat and limited shade. Around 4pm in the afternoon we got to the planned tentsite at Hauser Creek mile 15, I had about 2,5 liters water left, so I consumed 6 liters today.

Tonight Eric performed surgery on Paulina’s blister. A needle from the free sewing kit from S&F, held over the fire to desinfect, was used to open her blisters.

Later in the evening, Paulina realized that the blister were filling up again, so she inserted a thread into both of them.

Here is a video of the procedure on YouTube!

I will sleep in my tent but without rain fly – hoping to see some meteorites (Lyrids).