Day 5: Misery, thirst...but the trail provides. and a name is given

I generally only use the word misery to describe illnesses, hangovers and to summarize other people's stories about visit to their in-laws. But today the word misery was the only way to describe the hike.


I started out after breakfast at 6:45 with 2L of water. I could have backtracked a mile to pick up extra water but I knew, according to the water reports, that Rodriguez in 9 miles would have more water. This would be the start of my problems.


I arrived at Rodriguez 9 miles later and ran into the man soon to be known as Vegas (for his home) who I had already run into a few times. He informed me that the well was empty which was unfortunate because we were still 9ish miles from the hitchhike spot to Julian, which was not originally on my scheduled stops, but had suddenly jumped up on my list because I only had half a liter left to make if 9 miles.


On the maps it showed a spring 1/2 a mile off trail and I went to scout this out but after some fruitless searching I returned to the reservoir and tried to lower a bottle to get some of the scuzzy water at the bottom. It was so shallow I was forced to concede defeat and continue 9 miles on 1/2 liter of water. The misery was just starting.


My knee was hurting less but an encore performance was being provided by both hips and left ankle, shin, shoulder and right thigh. Moving on level ground was a pleasant level of dull pain, but downhill was it's on special level of hell reserved for foolhardy hikers who didn't properly condition for the trail. Present over the top of all this was thirst so strong I had never felt it's like before. I have gone through entire weeks of band camp less thirsty than I was now


Vultures circled overhead (probably not specifically after me, but it's dramatic), the midday sun beat down mercilessly and the mountain provided no shade to hide in. Vision quests and animal spirits danced before me as I tried to hoard my slowly diminishing water. Ben Kenobi appeared to give me instructions but since he didn't offer water I didn't feel the need listen to him


All joking aside, I was in a pretty serious situation and it was made all the more serious when I caught up with Vegas and a couple I'd been hiking on and off with the last two days. They informed me that we still had six miles to to highway to Julian and offered me a shady spot to sit but I knew every second here was precious water to drink and I pressed on.


I made it another 100 yards or so when I took a poorly planned step and pain flared through my left knee. I hadn't been wearing the brace because it hadn't been acting up but now I stopped and slipped it back on, although it barely helped with the pain, which appeared seemingly at random as I walked. The pause to put on the brace allowed Vegas to catch up, and we passed the hike discussing our views on life and other things that would be been more interesting for me if I hadn't felt like I was about to die.


We still had about 4 miles to go and I had less than an 1/8 L to hold me over. I was certainly toast, or at least going to need an air evac to live through this. Suddenly Vegas pointed and said "Isn't that water?" I followed his gaze and found a half-full Nalgene bottle laying in a clearing nearby After confirming that the owner was no longer present I eagerly drained the 16 oz present. Water has never tasted so sweet and probably won't again. When we mentioned this stroke of fortune to the couple hiking nearby, the woman cryptically States "the trail provides".


Despite the water the last few miles where a miserable blur only interrupted by the end by a 3 time PCT hiker on her way to Campo who first stopped to give us water and then when we  hadn't been picked by anyone going into Julian after 30 minutes she and her husband took Vegas and I into Julian where we were able to split a motel room and went to grab dinner. After dinner we met with a group of fellow hikers l which is when I was bestowed with my name.


After telling the story of my near demise the conversation moved to who has trail names. After mentioning that I didn't have on yet, Vegas looked at me and said "Almost. Because you almost didn't make it today".

I quite like this name


I spent the rest of the night joking and drinking with other PCT hikers explaining the lateness of this update. Today was demanding, grueling, and above all dangerous and seriously tested my willingness to continue to putting myself through this physically and mentally. But with fellow hikers like these to travel with I think I can manage a few more miles.


Tomorrow: Continental Breakfast and getting back to the trail.