So week one is in the books and 77 miles down.
I had my
- First magical trail
- first rain
- First wind storm
- First replenishment
- First hitchhike
- First (many) chasing and filtering water.
bells
Another first was hearing a loud rattle, which I had only heard before on TV, and looking down to see a three-foot-long reddish-colored rattlesnake with its rattle 4 inches from my foot. Luckily, I’m told that the big ones like to save their poison to use as food. So a few hours later I see my Dutch hiking friend Daphne’s foot land 1 inch from an 18 inch rattlesnake lying and sunbathing directly across the narrow trail. I hit the brakes and backed up. The snake looks at me with eyes and says: «Go ahead, old man, try it.» I stand back and, like a typical Canadian who is more accustomed to harmless snakes, take a selfie.
Then I waited, then threw sticks and stones near the snake. No, this rattlesnake is young and wants to show that he owns the trail. Slamming our poles into the ground finally caused a slow exit, towards the left of the stage.
Oh, my feet, my poor abused feet
Yes, after a week, the feet are destroyed. Content warning coming soon!
I feel great, I take every minute as a positive, EXCEPT my feet are destroyed.
I should have tried it and practiced it at home, you say. I did! I did everything I should, but the possible cause was that I only used my Injiji finger protectors once and then wanted to put them away. I’ve had my damn toughness on top of the liners since day 1. So from a double triple crown tip, he said he didn’t think I needed a size 15 (yes, you read that correctly). I thought my two Greek toes (the second toe is the longest on the foot) were black and blue and were going to fall off, and it was because my toe sock wasn’t long enough and I bent my toe down and hit the sole of my shoe.
Solution: Remove sock liners. Made.
I’m destined to finish the PCT thanks to my alligators.
By the way, a triple crown (AT, CDT, and PCT) hiker said he was going to finish because my alligators have alligators. The other said, because he saw my passage through the door and the use of the pole, that I was someone who would make it! What appreciated words of support.
Both of my pinkies have blisters, but the left one is nasty. The entire toe is a single large fluid-filled blister with a small nail in the middle. So I drained it and let it seal.
and then Luko P covered it with duct tape.
Ugh, disgusting…
medicare kit
My stress comes from an infection; If it hurts like hell, I’m fine with it.
Additional NOTE: The desert is expected to be arid and gloomy, but the wildflowers are beautiful.
But they are prickly little bastards! 
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