Baxil [bakh-HEEL'], n.

Bax called around noon to say hi and to report that yesterday he covered 34 miles in a day and had started hiking this morning at 6:00 am. He's hiking with a guy named Ryan who is apparently inspiring him to great achievements whether he wants to or not. ;-}

He was also taking a break to "modify" one of shoes with his Swiss Army knife. He's been having foot problems all along and being a size 14-leaning-toward-15 makes getting help in most of the little towns tricky at best. I hope the surgery worked.

He's well on his way to "Hiker Heaven" in Agua Dolce. It's a spot run by a couple called the Saufleys who open their home to every thru-hiker on the trail. Everyone speaks fondly of it and I met Donna Saufley back in Lake Morena - she was lovely and I'm glad he's within striking distance.

I have more trail notes to type up, and Bax has all three camera cards with him, so hopefully there will be more pictures coming soon.

- Kady aka Redtail's PCT Logistics Chief

P.S. You can read about Bax's adventures getting back to the trail from BayCon here.

Day 6, Tuesday 5/2
Mileage: 57.7 [12.7 today]
Morale: 7->10 [Starting to meet other hikers, awesome scenery, serious concern about blisters]
B is for blisters, breathtaking beauty, breaking the r/s streak.
Blister cumulative total: 4

While I'm channeling Bryson, let me tell you about some of the characters out here on the trail.

Trail names are typically given to commemorate some memorable moment. But not always. Sometimes their origin is much more immediate. Take Barrel.

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Day 7
Wednesday, May 3
Mileage - 77.4 [today: 19.7(!)]
Morale: 3->2->6 [major blister worries, horrible morning slog, but made mileage that surprised myself]
G - for Gimpin' it; Gotta keep moving; Granite Mountain; Great mileage
Blister cumulative total: 4 (and 2 hotspots)

I woke up lonely and worried. It took me the better part of an hour to patch up my feet -- I went for broke and used up the last of my duct tape and and much of my remaining blister kit, and created over-the-arch-of-the-foot straps to hold the tape in place that had been sliding around on me so much.

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Day 14
Wednesday 5/10
Mileage: 162.3 [19.8]
Morale: 7->3->6 [Jose Burger, dehydration, big climb, Palm Springs view, phone calls]
S is for San Jacintos, silly phone post.

Day 13
Tuesday 5/9
Mileage: ~142.5 [23 today]
Morale: 7 [Making good time, no new blisters, trail shower]
O is for on-trail shower, original cooking
Blister cumulative total: 6 and holding

Day 12
Mileage: 119.5 [9.9 today]
Morale: 5 [on the road again, straight into hot uphill slog]
T is for Twilight Zone guidebook miles, touching poison oak, tenec lotion
Blister cumulative total: 6 and holding

Day 11
Mileage: 109.6 [Zero day #3]
Morale: 3->6 [Homesick; spent day reading crappy golf magazine; swim and productive afternoon helped]
R is for resort, recuperating, Rene's twin
Blister cumulative total: 6

Day 10
Saturday 5/6
Mileage: 109.6 [today 8.2]
Morale: 4 [Just too damn tired to celebrate, didn't get into the big drinking the others did; adjuting to halting momentum.]
F is for First letter down, 25 to go; freshening up; first trail beer
Blister cumulative total: 6 and holding

Day 09
Friday 5/5
Mileage: 101.4 [Today: 24!!]
Morale: 2->7 [Crappy morning, weather, grueling hiking, quiet accomplishment and tired determination, sense of having passed first real test by catching up.]
T is for twenty-four, third gate cache, tired triumph, tardy snake
Blister cumulative total: 6

Day 08
Thursday 5/4
Mileage: 77.4 - Zero Day #2
Morale: 8->2 [Town day! Trail angel!! Bailed out on afternoon mileage amid late start, weather and son of revenge of return of blister]
J is for Julian, Joy
Blister cumulative total: 4

Ok, I'm done bombing all your friends lists, thanks for your patience while I get all that typed up. Eventually Bax plans to expand the entries and move them to the correct dates.

Speaking of whom, he called tonight while I was walking to the post office. He's heading toward the end of his second 30+ mile day and is planning to walk until 1 or 2 in the morning to take advantage of the cool. It was a little surreal to be chatting, since I was walking about 6-7 miles total and had been pretty feeling productive until he rang.

At any rate, he'll be in Agua Dolce tomorrow and plans to take a well-deserved zero day. Hopefully the food I sent him will be there. He's also going to try to get online, so perhaps we'll hear from the man himself.

- Kady