About a week ago - that would be about T-minus 10 days until we hit the trail in "Mission Control Speak" - Sally and I were in Costco purchasing yet another mound of food to be measured, portioned and bagged for the hike. It was near dinner time, so while Sally headed to the restroom at the far end of the checkout area, I stood in line at the food service area intent on scoring two slices of pizza and a pop for supper. As I stepped to the counter I placed my order, then extracted my debit card to complete the sale. Oops. Costco food service only takes cash or check. I pried open my wallet to see empty space-not even a lone dollar bill. I did not feel embarrassed in my predicament, rather I asked the cashier to void my purchase and I would reorder when Sally returned from the restroom with our horde of cash. Before I could finish my sentence a bright eyed 30ish year old woman behind me said, "That's alright. I can get that for you." Before I could register she was talking to me about my dinner she had peeled a $5.00 bill from her money clip and completed the deal. I thanked her profusely and told her my wife would be by shortly and I could repay her. She waved me off, made her own meal purchase and headed for the exit before Sally had returned.
I related to Sally my story and we enjoyed our free dinner, glowing in the thought that kind people populate this earth. It is amazing how that simple, spontaneous act of kindness put a smile on our faces and a glow in our hearts. A few days later we were to encounter another random act of kindness.
To get to the start of the PCT one must get to San Diego and then make their way to Campo, CA about 50 miles east right on the Mexican border. We booked our flight back in November and fleetingly looked into transportation from San Diego to Campo.
Sunday of this week, just T-minus 8 days, I pulled up the bus schedule for the county, found our route from the airport to the bus terminal and what time the busses run to Campo. Our plan was to exit the airport via city bus to the El Cajon bus terminal, stopping en route to buy fuel canisters for our stove (you can't fly with a propane canister in your carryon or checked bags), then board the 3:15 for Campo. Once there we would find a place to camp, hike the two miles south to the border and back and make an early start Tuesday morning.
I had remembered reading on the Pacific Crest Trail Association website that "Trail Angels" in San Diego were available to help PCT hikers get to the trailhead. What the heck, let's see if they think my plan is solid. I found the email address of "Frodo" and "Scout" (those are the trail names this couple had adopted for themselves) and related my plans to them, asking if they thought them feasible. Scout's reply came a few minutes after I hit send. He said he and his wife would be glad to pick us up at the airport. They would take us to their home just north of UCSD, feed us dinner, let us stay at their house, sell us fuel canisters at their cost, feed us breakfast and drive us to the trailhead at 6am. They firmly stated they did not want gifts nor money. They were also picking up another couple that day and would do the same for them. They did the same for over 250 PCT hikers last season!
Their kind offer quickly removed the hassle of negotiating downtown San Diego with 50 pound packs on our backs and reduced the level of complexity of getting the trip started. Plus, since they had hiked the PCT in 2007 it presents us with the opportunity to meet people with experience and to meet our first fellow 2014 PCT hikers.
If these two random acts are a portent of the interactions we will experience once on the trail this adventure promises to be all we hoped it would be. T-minus 5 and counting.
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