About a month off!

      We've got about a month now before we leave for New Orleans and then a few days from then we start the trail. I've been mentioning my trip to a few of the patrons of one of the bars I work at. One of the men, a regular who, when I started, called me over to him, squinted his eyes, (as I've found out, he tends to do when he's getting ready to tease you) and asked me where I came from and then advising me I better ought to get to work and stop standing around and talking to people at the bar. Yesterday, I went into work and he called me over, asked me if I had my backpack that day and told me he had gotten me a knife. As I stood there, him explaining all of the specifics of it, how he sharpened it earlier for me, how he's going to see to it that I also have one for self defense since this one is for survival, I realized something that I should have months ago. When I rode the Great Divide trail, I looked forward to all the friendly people going overboard to help you out on the trail when you need it, knowing that it would be the same way on the PCT, however I definitely didn't have to look far this time. Everyone I've told has been extremely supportive, the regulars offering any help and encouragement I could need, even though I've only known them for a few months now. I don't know why it still astounds me when people do something extremely thoughtful.
      So far, the only other supplies I need is food and toiletries which I am slowly gathering, hopefully finishing off the packing once Melissa gets here. It's funny because as people ask me about the trip, become a little more accustomed to hearing about it, they tend to ask what exactly you pack and I'll tell them all the regular things, but also how I really only have one set of clothing. "So, how do you get clean and stuff then?" "Oh, well the thing is. I don't." I usually just explain that I've bought the clothing that doesn't absorb grime and smell as quickly. But really, fat chance of me smelling good on the trail at any point. On the Great Divide, I would have the opportunity to shower and get my body clean, but then my clothing would still be incredibly gross, but then I would have a point where I could wash my clothes, but I would forgo the shower due to exhaustion and then have lovely soft clothes and dirt smeared all over my arms and legs. I really don't know why that was so hard to coordinate for me, but alas, it was.
      Anyways, I just wanted to write a quick post, give a shout out to the people who got excited with me, gifted the things they felt would help me out and also the ones who got mad at me when I told them I would be leaving them in such a short amount of time. Those of you who have gotten to know me personally understand that most of the time people don't thrill me (interesting me more in a observational way than personal), but I really have started loving meeting all of the people I have.

I'm also going to miss you, daily beers.