Section 1 - Campo to Warner Springs View Photos April 21 Finally, the moment has arrived. What a great day to start the trip--perfect 70 degree hiking weather. Cynthia and her mom took me to Campo and we drove out a dirt road to a low hill with a lone monument marking the start of the PCT. The Mexican border lay just a few feet away and Border Patrol officers were everywhere. I walked away with a mixture of fear and excitement as Cynthia and Sally waved good-bye. I walked 12 miles or so in 4 hours. The streams were filled and I saw many flowers and flowering shrubs. I passed 6 people who were struggling with packweight and general conditioning. I'm glad now that I put in the time to get ready for this walk. April 22 20 miles today. I broke camp at 8 a.m. in cool, foggy weather--what a change from yesterday. I had a pleasant 2 1/2 hour walk to Lake Morena with great views of the lake, though somewhat obstructed by clouds. After reaching Lake Morena State Park, I walked down the street and had breakfast at the general store/malt shop. The proprietess reminded me so much of Katherine Hepburn in "On Golden Pond." Morena Village is really charming. It would be a nice spot for a summer or retirement home. After a leisurely breakfast and an e-mail check I headed north, stopping in Boulder Oaks for water and a snack, and arrived here in Fred Canyon at 5 p.m. The weather really deteriorated this afternoon with 40-degree temperatures, high winds, and light rain. The only hiker I saw today was someone who left the border a day and a half before me. This is beautiful country. It's much greener and prettier than I ever imagined. April 23 16 miles. It's April 23 and snowing in the San Diego mountains. I got to Mt. Laguna about 2 p.m. just as it started. All the way up the peak I was in shorts and a t-shirt and then the clouds rolled in and the white stuff started. I got a late start today. I worried about things that go bump in the night and didn't sleep well at all last night. The morning started before 6 a.m. with footsteps outside my tent and a face peering through the door. Out of fear I yelled "Hello!" but the guy just put his finger to his lips and said nothing. He and his companion then took off down the trail. Judging from their uniforms I'm pretty sure they were army rangers out on some kind of patrol. Weird. I picked up my first set of e-mails today at the Mt. Laguna pay phone. It was great to hear from everybody. Keep writing, it really gives me something to look forward to at the town stops. April 24 18 blustery and cold miles today. There was still snow on the ground this morning and I wore all my clothes for several hours on the trail. It feels much more like January than late April. I camped last night with 2 other hikers, Packrat and Shirt (their trail names--an eastern tradition--born on the AT), and we played tag all day along the trail. The path followed a high ridgeline along the Laguna Crest for the first 10 miles with stupendous views of the desert floor though I caught only fleeting glimpses through the fog. I'm now perched on a windswept saddle overlooking Anza-Borego State Park. It was too windy to put up my tent so I crawled under the chaparral and found a flat spot for my bag. Tomorrow is a short day--10 miles. Cynthia is meeting me at the highway 78 crossing and taking me to Julian for the night. April 26 17 brutal miles today. This is one of the toughest sections of the PCT because of the desert heat and the lack of shade or water. Because of a dispute with landowners across the valley, the Forest Service routed the trail through the San Felipe Hills instead of along the cooler coastal ridge. Fortunately it was only in the 80's today instead of 100 but it was bad enough. Ughh. Another 17 or so tomorrow to Warner Springs and then back into the mountains the day after. April 27 16 miles. I made it to Warner Springs early this afternoon and completed section 1. I have now walked 110 miles or about 1/25 of the way. It feels good to put the first hundred behind me. So far I'm holding up though my feet aren't so sure. I need to do a better job taping, powdering, or otherwise encouraging them to like the heating, sweating, and pounding they get from the trail. Hey fellas--no pain, no gain. I had a nice hike today, especially in comparison to yesterday. I left the desert behind and the walking was much cooler. I hiked through wonderful open vistas, meadows and streams. In Warner Springs, I caught up to Shirt and Packrat after not having seen them for several days and we commiserated about the San Felipe Hills. I'm sure the stories will get better every year. Warner Springs--population 200--is a real one-gas-station town. There is, however, a post office and I picked up my food box for the next 4 days to Idyllwild. There's also a golf resort, of sorts, and the clubhouse makes a nice oriental chicken salad. I hear the clubhouse also has a "members only" bathroom with a shower but I...uh...wouldn't know anything about that. On to Idyllwild!