A Tale of Two Hikers

The PCT thru my neck of the woods has been a zoo lately. This is the time when folks who departed its start near Campo in March and April have managed to make it the 400 some odd miles to my AO.

Two Sundays ago I was parked at trail/road crossing. My dog, Oliver, was in the car and I got out to dither with my GPS unit and happened to see a lone female hiker go by. I said hello and she said "Hello." Asked if she was a thru hiker and she answered "Yes. And my husband is right behind me!" and hurried off. (Of course he was fictional.)

One Sunday ago my dog Avery and I were hiking a section near the tiny village of Green Valley. As I crested a small pass, I heard a woman to my right calling out "Hey there!" When I looked I saw a white haired lady, well off the trail, waving at me. (Had she NOT been waving she would have been invisible in the bush.) I stopped and ambled over and found she was a solo thru hiker who had started in March. We sat down and talked for a half hour, swapping war stories and playing fetch with the dog. (She did mention there was another guy camped at the top of a nearby hill but it didn't register until later.) I took a picture of her with my dog and promised to send it to her via e-mail.

IMHO, lady number two had the right attitude and was going to enjoy her trip far more. But it is incredibly sad that any woman has to feel threatened on the trail.

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A Tale of Two Hikers