Day 1!!! campo to Lake Morena

It's really happening! best day worst evening,


Woke up this morning at 5am. Breakfast at 5:30 and on the road at 6. There was 10 of us that was leaving Scout and Fordo's. Arriving at the Monument was surreal. I was so excited my hands where shaking. Of course we all took photos.




Photo below is Jeff. His trail name was Rags when he started the first time. but since he is starting again maybe will call him Repeat. He was going to get dropped off at lake Morena and start where he left off. So I hope to catch up to him someday. He said he was would buy me a Burger if I caught up.


Photo below is Dave from Canada.





Here is a photo of me with my chair that I am going to carry the whole way.



Every journey in life starts with the first step.

The secret to success in anything in life: Know where you are going. Know that you are a success when you are pursuing your goal. You have no control over your results, you can only control your disciplines. Celebrate your disciplines not your results. IF all else fails and I'm having a rough day remember; one foot after the other just keeping hiking.

I have taken my first step...

It's pretty crazy and hard to believe that I am actually here doing it. I have been preparing and dreaming of this moment for almost a year. The first mile stone has come really quit.

Had my first little break my shoes full of little rocks. I forgot to put on my Dirty Girl Gators. During my break Dave decide to carry on. (little did I know I wouldn't catch back up to him. Atleast not today)

Here is a video of the first of 3 snakes I saw today. it was a bit stubborn at first.

Decided to sit down for the first time on my chair while on the trail. Wow it's amazing, say what you will about carrying a chair I can tell you already #worthit lol.

A couple guys came by and we talked for a while. It was Meka and Mike. we all had good laugh about my chair and they carried on. I sat and had lunch. After I dug my first cathole ;)

about 3 miles later I pulled out the chair to sit and dry out my feet. Meka and Mike came walking up the trail again some how I passed them. They must have gotten off trail to find shade. As they passed by they shouted Lazy Boy! I'm pretty sure I just got my trail name. I guess we will see.


Found this tree that was a really cool red color. I am not into taking photos of flowers and what not but this tree was awesome.


another break with a snack dehydrated apples w/cinnamon that I made my self and a little peanut butter. absolutely amazing.



You can see the trail that I just came from all the way across this valley. What nobody ever tells you is that after you get to Hauser Creek there is like a 1000 ft climb in the last 5 to Morena. It wasn't terrible but I wasn't expecting it.

As I was climbing I started to notice my chest was feeling tight and my throat was swollen it was starting to get hard to swallow. I was able to breath ok but breathing was starting to become painful. I pushed on I only had 4 more miles to get to lake Morena. I reached the top and it was very obvious that something was very wrong. I had cell service so I started looking up my symptoms on webMD and it was less then helpful. So I had a couple options here I could sit here in pain and keep getting worse or I could push on get to Lake Morena and get myself out of here and get help... I wasn't going to be that person and just sit around to die. (Let's not be dramatic, but this is what was going through my head.) I was about 50 yards from the campground when I stopped to read a sign when Wyoming and Brock (an awesome couple I met at about mile 5) caught up to me. I had seen them at Hauser Creek 5 miles back. I told them what was going on Wyoming gave me allergy medicine and we walked in to the camp ground looking from the thru hikers camp spot. The sun had just set so it was dark and the campground map was confusing or maybe we're just really exhausted. At this point I can hardly swallow and my chest and neck hurt and my voice sounds really weird and nasally. I set up my tent in the dark grabbed my sleep clothes(clean clothes only used for sleeping) soap and towel and headed to the showers.

I just took the best and worst shower of my life. I was covered in dirt so it was great to get clean but it was cold outside and the shower water was luke warm and the water dribbled out. It was bad and painful.

I was feeling horrible facing a dilemma I knew I should try and get medical help here but I didn't know what that was going to look like I wasn't going to call an ambulance and deal with that noise and expense. So I figured That as long as I could breath ok and I wasn't getting worse I would more than likely be better in the morning. Tomorrow the plan is to wake up early and head out to Mt. Laguna. I couldnt even eat dinner. I fell asleep while inflating my sleeping pad and half way out of my sleeping bag.

I woke up a couple times and i hurt so bad it was hard to move. I managed to inflate my sleeping pad enough to get most of my body off the ground. The thoughts I was thinking "I hope I wake up in the morning. I can't believe this is happening on day one. " but obviously I didnt die or you wouldn't be reading this. I was't sure if I should tell this complete story or not. I decided to just share my whole experience as it happened.

I so far I have met so many people that are just awesome. I can't wait to continue my journey on the trail and beat this whatever that has come over me. It's not going to take me off the trail I won't let it...

Posted from my iPhone