I guess I'm on day 9? I don't know- time is so strange out here. Today I find myself sitting outside our dilapidated room in Idyllwild complete with plastic sheets and a garage sale couch on our first zero day. Our bodies need time to rest even though I really wish we were hiking. I can't help but add up the hours of daylight and calculate how many miles we could have traversed so far- at least 7 after a sunrise wake up with a breakfast of oatmeal and jerky. Instead, we had corned beef hash with eggs and fresh coffee before doddling around Idyllwild on Easter Sunday. The last couple of days have all rolled into one continuous stretch of hiking, sleeping, sunrises, sunsets, hiking, finding water, and meeting people. And then hiking. Waking up to sausage and eggs served in the Warner Springs community center by a wonderful German lady, then walking into the unknown and ending up at the most random house, literally in the middle of nowhere. Having Matt wake me up ridiculously early, too early to argue about it, and subsequently having the most serene morning in the mountains and reflecting on what we have accomplished in the past week. Stumbling upon a picnic table with an ice chest of apples, oranges, sodas, and pop tarts. Pushing through a 25 mile day with an amazing and inspirational older man named Lucky who can out hike us any day, and ending up here in Idyllwild. Each day brings greater adventure, new challenges, unique experiences, and a full spectrum of emotion that the trail will ultimately tease out of you no matter how much you think you've mastered your mind. I'm realizing I'm not even close. So here I sit, with a gallon of water by my side and sunshine on my skin, listening to birds and nature. Breathing in beauty and calm. Craving the challenge of the San Jacinto Mountains and everything else to come.
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