Southern Terminus to Mile 8.8 (Jeep Road)
Dan and I woke up early, trying to get a good start to the day. After grabbing a couple small things at the local hardware store we were on our way. A missed turn put us maybe 20 minutes behind schedule but it was all still so real... Right before the terminus, we spotted some outgoing hikers, a support van for team turtle (teamturtle is a group of hikers supported by a a van and wagon that coordinates their resupply). Dan and I picked up a woman called Anita and drive the remaining half mile to the terminus.
Upon getting there we took the obligatory photos and signed the register, a book that all thru hikers sign there. There are also other registers along the way. My register number us 323 I think... Anita and I started hiking together and did so for about 5 miles. As it turns out, she was a construction manager who had recently retired, funny, since that's my field of expertise.
After about five miles, we came upon some other hikers. Bev, who was in poor spirits and in need of care. She was not adjusting well to the desert heat and had been vomiting and trying to rehydrate. A man named Just Mike took her back south while I hiked on with Anita, Sweet Spot, and Ross. As we made our way, Ross and I pulled ahead. Talking about our pasts, motivation for hiking, and swapping funny stories. This type of talk would become common place among everyone upon first meeting, at least for a now, at the time of this writing.
We stopped at around mile 8.8in a nice flat spot. Ate dinner, potatoes, bacon, Ross had whole grain blueberry waffles with protein powder. After a couple hours we both faded off. Awaking occasionally to see the different phases of the lunar eclipse.
In good spirits, with very little physical discomfort, day 1 cokes to an end.
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