Finding the Groove.

Well Thursday the 14th will mark 4 weeks on trail! I made this long post a about 5 days ago when I had no service, and I uploaded some pictures and saved it as a draft, only for it to disappear and not be saved even though I checked once I was done and it was there in the draft section. When I had service again, i went to upload and it was not there at all. That was pretty disappointing and so that turned me off from wanting to type anything else for a bit since I had spent  a decent amount of time writing and editing that update. So that's why it's been a little bit since i've posted anything. 

The majority of that post talked about me hitting the trail in mid April completely out of shape, gluttonous, and extremely overweight and suffering for the first 15 days. It went on to stare that I was finally feeling like I was getting stronger and settling into the groove. I posted a few days of twenty plus miles and am genuinely starting to dread the up-hill climbs less and less, and settling back into my daily routines. In one week alone I put in over 150 miles, which is quite a bit for me.

As I post this now, I am sitting in Green Valley, just before mile 500. It's been pretty rad hiking this trail a second time, fourteen years later, because it 's a completely different experience in every way. In 2012, Casa De Luna and Hiker Haven were trail angel staples in this exact area. The Saufleys would open their home in Agua Dulce to nurse our wounds and get our resupplies for the entrance to the Sierra all squared away, before hiking 24 miles to the next town where the Andersons opened their homes to the hikers at what they called Casa De Luna or Hippy Day Care. Both places could be vortex's, a place where it's hard to get back on trail after just a day off. Leading to some people to take more than a week to cover 30 miles.

Sadly neither of those places exist anymore. A few years ago we lost Donna Saufley all together and the Andersons have moved on in their life, and with the expanding hiker numbers, the hospitality they offered just isn't managed or sustainable in the evolution of the trail. I am so lucky to have got to experience both places, with such magical people. I'll be honest, not having them here takes away some of the charm and best memories I made on that hike in 2012. That being said, not having them here also leaves open the potential for new, unexpected possibilities and memories to be made. 

I am finding this trail to be actually quite lonely even with so many hikers out here. With the permit system creating only so many people starting a per day, no kickoff party, no major trail angels bunching the hikers up, and me being a solo hiker, not part of any trail family, I find it pretty isolated. I see a handful or more hikers every day still, often just exchanging a 'hey' or 'when does the climb end' type pleasantry. I am a bit in front of the quote-un-quote bubble of hikers, but still find most hikers doing smaller days, starting later in the morning, and haven't met anyone that has quite synced up with my pace, some going quite faster, most going just a bit slower. And with alllll the town options these days, it's easy to get distracted by town food and drink. But I am still just over 200 miles from entering the Sierras, and people generally bunch up at Kennedy Meadows and head into them in groups, which I am sure will happen with me. Also, me only hiking back to Tahoe and no intentions of continuing to Canada, sort of keeps me from connecting with a lot of people out here as well. The PCT is the first long-distace hike for a lot of folks out here, so it takes a while to adapt, find what does and doesn't work for you. Learning your body, and water needs, food needs, sleep needs all takes time and experience. Something that I have a decent grasp on at this point. 

So in the next few days I will be MY half-way point, from the border of California and Mexico to hw50 at Echo Summit, mile 1092. Which is just about on pace for the 2 month goal I loosely set for myself. With a few 0 mileage days and Near-O's (10 miles or less) and also getting into shape still, I am feeling pretty confident I should hit the Tahoe area by June 21st which has always been the day I had in mind, shaving about 2 full weeks off my pace from 2012. 

All in all, things are going well. I only want to stop hiking all-together about 10 times a day now rather than 20 or 30 lol.

225 miles until the Sierra. 613 until hw50. 200 miles of tough desert left, then 450 miles of the beautiful High Sierra wilderness. Pow Pow.

 

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Looking Around for Memories

There is quite a bit of nostalgia going on with this hike for me. It's been a mind trip to re-hike this 14 years after my first go at it. It's pretty unbelievable just how little of the trail I seem to remember, and then I will turn a corner just when a crazy memory from 2012 blindsides me in the face. It has been wild comparing my progress in 2012, when I was 28 years young, and oh so green to the long-distace hiking world, to the 42 year hiking today, with about 8500 miles under me now. I still have to remind myself that I know what I am doing, I've dealt with all these thoughts and aches and pains before, and way too often to not give myself a little bit of credit and trust in my processes. Constantly, I worry about this being the day it all starts falling apart. But mostly, and hopefully that day never comes. I just keep grinding like I always have. Soon, the stamina and strength will catch back up, I won't be just getting 'back' into shape, but solidly fit like I should already be in life, and not only while hiking a long-distance trail. The aches and pains are always gonna be there, as I am putting my body through hell, but it also feels good. It feels much better than being fat and lazy and nearly irreversibly so, if I didn't get out and something like this to snap me out of unhealthy habits.

All that being said, it is real that I do feel stronger at this point than the first time around. I may be older, grumpier, slower to recover, but that's all just a part of getting older. Mentally I am stronger, and the things I have learned about myself, my body, my hiking style, since setting out in 2012, have given me the confidence to know I still have it in me to pull off larger than normal goals, mentally and physically. 

Blah blah blah. Now I am just rambling.

Anyways, after 150 miles, and 8 days of hiking I am currently taking the day off in Idyllwild, a mountain town up near Mt San Jacinto, in the pines above Palm Springs. It's been a fantastic stay, hosted by a fantastic trail angel who lives here in town and goes by the name Queen Bee. She has opened her spare cottage to me to get out of some weather for the day and to relax and recover. 

HIGHLIGHTS SO FAR:

#4

• IT HAS BEEN SOOOO COOL. Temperatures couldn't be more kind to me so far. Sure there have been some warmer moments, exposed, where you could still get into serious trouble if not managing water and electrolyte intake correctly. But generally it has been pretty pleasant, and quite cool in tne mornings. I am usually up and on the move walking  everyday by 6am. I like to try and get quality miles in the early hours while it is cool. I start REALLY slow for an half hour to hour, then sorta find a groove. Try to get 10 miles in by 11,  and then break accordingly in the afternoon to try to give more time for afternoon breaks without feeling like I need to keep grinding miles. The cool temps have allowed me to already push a little more mileage per day than I expected this soon in. I am finding my sweet spot right now is right at 20 miles a day. Super happy with that just at a week in. I truly believe that my body can hold up to that without too much threat of overuse injury. As I feel stronger, I hope to get that sweet spot a little closer to the 23-25 mpd range.

HIGHLIGHT #3

• Hiking 20 miles from Mt Laguna along the Sunrise Highway, down to where the PCT crosses the San Diego Trans County Trail. A route dear to my heart that I have made many lifetime friends while hiking on over the years. It's 160 mile route that I have accumulated over 500 miles of hiking on over the years. So that was special camping at a spot that I have some very fond memories of hikes in the past with some amazing folks. It was a cool day, and one of those days where the views just make you never wanna stop, just wanna see more and more.

HIGHLIGHT #2

• Hiking from Scissors Crossing, mile 77, to Paradise Valley, mile 152, in 3.5 days. In 2012, with a trip at mile 100 back to ADZPCTKO for 3 days (hiker party), it took me about 8.5 days to do that same section, and I was HURTING walking into Paradise Valley Cafe. This time, I felt like I am only getting stronger by the day. Excited about, not just dreading the "harder" parts up ahead, hoping to be stronger than last time. The hike into Warner Springs, mile 110, was next level for me this time. I was out of camp early and felt like I had the whole trail to myself, and got to spend time at sacred Eagle Rock alone without others bopping around and in every picture. It was a beautiful morning.

#1 HIGHLIGHT ☆☆☆

 • Alll the love and support from those of you following along and sending words of encouragement and your own hard earned dollars my way as a way of helping and being part of this. I am not lying when I say I cry literal happy tears daily out here, when I get service, and a new group of messages, Dm's, comments pop up and it humbles me to know how many rad and amazing, high-quality humans I have been able to surround myself with in this lifetime. From family, to friends, to hikers and adventurer friends I have made around the world, I am so thankful for you. It means so much to me to feel the love I seemed to have lost track of along the way. Thank you all for being there, or here, with me. I certainly wasn't expecting this element during the planning process of this long ass section hike I am on.

So much Love! 

• Kristo

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Miles 0-100

7 days on trail. Sleeping at mile 115 just north of Warner Springs this evening. It's been a great week. It's no secret I hit the trail in potentially the worst shape of my life. So I wasn't sure how this first week was going to unravel as I made my way north step by step. After 7 days of hiking, I am pretty impressed with myself and how quickly my body is adapting to being back on trail. Sore feet aside, my body feels pretty good. The weather has been about perfect and luckily has stayed away from high temps thus far. While there is quite a bit of exposure most the time, the cooler temps have really aided on my transition back into trail life, and the aches and pains that come with getting into shape out here. If I can keep my core temp low, I am much more capable of quality miles.

After 7 days I am averaging just under 17 miles a day, including a 20 & 24.5 mile day already.

So far the theme of the trail is snakes. Dozens of Garter snakes, a few Gopher snakes, a California King, and a couple Red Diamond Rattlesnakes. Other wildlife sightings include, a couple foxes, cottontails, hundreds of lizards, beetles, and birds.

My media intake has been minimal, but per usual, some older, gritty Black Keys seems to always be the go to tunes for grinding up climbs, while Hermanos Guttierez is the move for these crisp, quiet mornings, walking in solitude, especially near the area of Warner Springs, rich with Native American history, who's land I am so appreciative to be able to move through. 

Hitched into the town of Julian for a solid meal from Apple Valley Cafe. Large sandwhich, salad and apple pie ala mode, the fat kid hiker special. 

That's the rub this far. Snakes, and working on getting back to being that hiking machine I once was, with endless stamina and tree trunks for legs. My goal of hiking to highway 88 and Carson Pass by June 21st is looking like it just might be possible if I can keep healthy. 

Finally, thank you to ALLLL of you who sent kind messages and dropped a donation via Venmo. I appreciate it so much. Y'all making me cry happy tears on trail. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! 

I have the most amazing friends and family in my corner cheering me on and supporting me. I am forever grateful.  Being able to share a personal moment, and have a special connection with you folks is what adds to the memories of this adventure in such a special way, even if you can't be here with me, you're here in a very real way.

Feel free to reach out, text, DM questions you may have. I will try to get to them when time/service allows. If you like what you're reading, and you are feeling tipsy, you can follow this venmo link and buy me a sprite or root beer in town. I promise this is shamelessly the best

 way to keep the blog content coming. LoL. Also, absolutely do not feel obligated. The content will continue either way, either here or through social media posts.

•K

Pacific Crest Trail 2026 L•A•S•H

Well, I jumped on a long trail again, so I suppose I should try getting this blog fired up for a bit to help get my wandering thoughts somewhat documented while hiking along.

This time I am back to the roots. The Pacific Crest Trail. The one that got it all started for me. And I am hiking 1200 miles from the California / Mexico border back north to Tahoe.

Historically, I start up this blog when I am on a long trail so I can keep friends and family sorta updated on the happenings of my adventures, my rambling thoughts, and general updates. Honestly, it would be interesting to read back through what I have posted from 14 years ago while on my first PCT adventure.

I first hiked the PCT from Mexico to Canada in 2012. I turned 29 that summer. It was my first foray into the counter-culture of long-distance hiking. Since then I have accumulated roughly 9000 miles of hiking, including the Appalachian Trail - 2200 miles from Georgia to Maine. Over 500 miles accumulated San Diego Trans-County Trail. About 600 miles (90% of of New Mexico) on the Continental Divide Trail. Roughly 1000 miles hiking in Alaska, the Lost Coast Trail, Tahoe Rim Trail, and many more around the country.

This time I am doing a Long Ass Section Hike (LASH) of the PCT. Time to get my body back in shape, and my mind reset. Time to grieve, time to process, time to plan and dream about all that lays ahead of me. If there is one thing I am learning as I creep into my mid 40's, is that time is fleeting. Gotta do the things you love when you've still got the health and pulse to get it done. So with a bit of planning, sacrificing, and a healthy amount of depending on family, friends, I have been blessed with the ability to pour the next 2-3 months of my life into doing not much more than walking. Walking north.  I'll be putting in 35k-60k steps a day generally, for those of you tracking your steps at home. I hope to shed dozens of pounds of weight, while getting my heart and stamina back to elite athlete levels. Let's see how it goes. I am 3 days in. Lots more to go, but it is nice to be on a trail that feels like home. That I have shared so many laughs, tears, conversations with over these years. Every time I cross the PCT somewhere in my travels, I try to get out and walk on it, even for a hundred yards, to check in, reconnect, and touch base with the Trail that taught me so much about myself. All I can do to honor her is to have pure love and respect. I believe that is all the PCT really asks of you....

I generally lose steam posting once back on the trail for a bit, become too lazy after grinding miles day after day, and also not wanting to be a real content provider or writer. But hey, no one is paying me to keep this thing alive, and it's generally more off the cuff from the seat of my sweat soaked shorts. 

So if you like what you read, and want to see more content, drop a tip in that venmo app and that just may be the motivation to keep posting lol. I am much to lazy and not super keen on putting this behind a pay-wall, but oftentimes people want to know how they can help, can they send a care package, how can they contribute. If you find yourself asking these questions, please feel free to reach out and ask and I can communicate with you details and specific needs. And I will make it worth your time with personalized notes, pictures, and postcards.

Until next time...

Kristo the Lion

venmo link here. 

more photos from the 1st month