The Final Countdown

It's Wednesday, April 24th, one week before my flight to San Diego and I'm sitting in my bedroom in Manchester, New Hampshire after the first warm day of spring.  Buds on the trees are starting to open, the obnoxiously loud motorcycles are just starting to come out and roll around downtown for no other reason than to rev their engines and I still have to go to work through Friday; it couldn't make me want to be on the trail more.

The last minute preparations are steadily wrapping up.  I've moved about half my stuff to storage with friends.  My training is coming along fine and I'm managing to remain injury free.  The only things remaining to move are my computer, bed, two bikes, clothes and hiking/camping gear.  A HUGE thank you to Alison S, Justin R. and Jessica A. for storing my crap!  Also to Tim for lending me his BV500 bear canister! You guys are awesome and I owe you when I get back!

Today I mailed my first resupply box to Warner Springs, CA with hopefully ample food for 4 days and the California section B and C maps.  I'm also in the process of selling a few extra things on Craigslist to reduce what I have to move and raise some petty cash for the trail.

I'll be mailing myself a "bounce" box filled with things I'll only need every week or two.  So far the list will include:

• Refills of Dr. Bronners soap and olive oil
• My electric razor and my hair clippers (I look like a pedo with long hair and after 4 days without shaving.  The mountain man look does not happen for me.)
• My camera charger (the battery should last 200+ shots, I figure that's 20 photos a day for 10 days)
• Shampoo and bar soap
• Extra socks and possibly underwear
• Maps and my Yogi's guide sections
• Extra sunscreen and foot powder
• Extra TP
• Resupply food if a future section has a no or poor options for resupply and the current town has a grocery store

People seem to recommend a 5 gallon bucket, and I happen to have one from work.  Hopefully it will fit in my car with all my other stuff...

In addition to the bounce box, I'll be mailing a box to Kennedy meadows with my ice axe, microspikes, bear can, bug headnet and inner tent mesh/bugnet.

This weekend I move the remainder of my stuff out of my apartment (Yay rent free life!) and down into my parents in Maryland.  I'll spend a few days there and a week from today fly out to San Diego.  A trail angel is picking me up at the airport, letting me sleep in his yard and driving me an hour and a half to the southern terminus of the PCT.  From there I'll be on my own with over 2,600 miles of trail in front of me.