It's a love-hate kinda thing. May 4

I started walking at 6am this morning, alone, and as it turns out I
walked the whole day by myself. I left the last group of boys
yesterday at lunch and never saw them again. Today I met four more as
I was arriving at a picnic area and they were leaving. One of them,
whom I will call Boot Boy, was complaining of foot pain. I took one
look at him, a college student at Oregon State wearing big leather
hiking boots, and knew that I would be passing him on the trail very
soon. The rest of them were going down, too. They just didn't know it
yet.

Today I felt strong and purposeful with every step. I saw the vast
Anza-Borrego desert for the first time early this morning, and I got
so emotional at the beauty that is unfolding in front of me. The
brown, scrubby rolling hills, dotted with rugged outcrops of boulders,
look dark and foreboding, like they are hiding some top secret
military operation (see my previous post). I spent a lot of today
wondering what is going on here in the desert and why I am walking
through it. No real answers yet on either account, but I did see a lot
of military helicopters flying overhead.

There are moments when the trail is demanding and difficult, and this
is part of the reason why I was once quoted as saying that I hike 98%
for love (for Happy JO, my hubby) and 2% for actual enjoyment. Well,
maybe I spoke too soon. I sort of enjoyed walking alone all day AND
passing all four guys later in the day. I gave Boot Boy a lecture
about foot care on the trail and I smirked as I told the Florida guys
that I had started five miles before them this morning. We are camped
together tonight with about six others (above photo is our campsite).
25.4 more miles down. Song for the day: Armin van Buren's In and Out
of Love. I definitely have a love-hate relationship with the trail.
Let's hope the next 25 miles can be just as amazing as the last.