T minus 10 days

I can't believe it. After saying to myself so many times "in a couple years" the day has finally come when I refer to my start day as "in a couple days". So much is going on right now, it feels surreal.

I finally got a Chrome Dome hiking umbrella from Golite, it was even on sale so the wait paid off! The outside of the umbrella is reflective, for the desert sun, and I'll be able to use it again in the Washington rain (photo credits to Jon). It has a nice span; I've just gotta figure out a way to attach it to my backpack so I can go hands free. Despite my last post, I'm back to having doubts about the capacity of my backpack, especially considering the bear can. I'm seriously considering switching to a Gossamer Gear G4. I would gain about 20 liters of capacity and lose about 11 oz of weight. It seems pretty win-win.


My mom made me a collection of wonderful meals. It was overwhelming to see how much love and attention she put into making these meals for me (she even took the time to sprout the beans before she dehydrated them so they would be extra nutritious). Included in each baggie is a sheet of the ingredients with instructions for cooking, an inspirational quote to keep me motivated, and a little snack to eat while I'm cooking. See what I mean? She went all out. Thanks Momma <3

This coming Friday is my last day of work. I've been enduring fond teasing from my bosses and co-workers (regarding work-ethic, wrestling bears, and my caffeine intake, mostly!), and hearing well-wishes and "we'll miss you"s from my regular customers.

Since I work in a very small grocery just around the corner from my home, my regulars aren't just customers to me. They are my neighbors and have become part of the landscape of my life. They are the faces Jon and I see when we walk in our neighborhood after dinner and run errands downtown. In two years I've seen pregnancies, births, and first birthdays (or at least, the daily runs for pickles, ice cream, and party supplies!). E has become a motherly figure to me and worries over me as I prepare, S suggested they put up a map of the trail on the bulletin board outside so everyone can follow my progress and M suggested that we hang an announcement of my last day so everyone will know to come say goodbye. There is heartfelt enthusiasm, encouragement, concern and excitement from everyone; it means to me that I am finally a Davis townie, not just a student passing through anonymously, anymore.

I am really, really going to miss everyone while I'm gone. But I'm planning to be back in October, and already I'm looking forward to sharing my stories.

I catch the train to San Diego on Tues 4/24 with Richard and My-Lien and their young son Berg. My-Lien's parents generously agreed to put me up for the night in their home. The next morning, we'll pile into Richard's grandparents' car and the three of them will drop me off at the border on their way to the Salton Sea (which, I am told, is quite a spectacle). Starting my journey off with friends by my side will be great; I had worried about how to get from the train station to the border, but I shouldn't have. Already I am experiencing trail magic.