Week Three: Wilderness and Civilization

"There are plenty of rules out here, we just don't follow any of them" - Genie

Week three, 21 days on the trail. I've spent 4 of those nights in a bed of some sort while passing through towns, the rest out in the outdoors. It's weird to see how my perspective is changing. I don't notice how dirty and sweaty I smell until I'm actually in a public place again, like a post office... I guess it's because there is so much fresh air outdoors.

There are a few things that myself and others have found hard re-adjusting to in towns:

Store hours and days of closure - the post office in particular:
 There was a day on trail where many of us realized we'd have to book it to make it to town the next day before closing hours. The post office was only open until 1:00 on a saturday, which would've delayed us until monday if we missed it. Hard to readjust after having no real schedule for days on end, and the day of week is definitely useless information on trail days.

Public bathrooms:
Had to reign in the instict to just pee on a nearby bush while in town.. strange how quickly I forgot that social rule.

City Grime vs. Outdoor Grime:
Sleeping in cheap hotels has an element of griminess for sure, and I find myself much prefering to sleep in dirt on trail.

Also, when the trail passes a location that is easily accessible by road (hence locals coming from town for the day), graffiti and trash really become prominent and painful to see. The on-trail community is so welcoming, and the wilderness so pristine in many places, that it's strange to come back to "civilization," where things are much different.

Also, I had my 27th birthday on trail recently. Seems appropriate that I settled on a trail name for myself that day as well. Those on the path will know me as 'Traveller" from here on out.

Week three video is here (hope it's working, still doing all uploads from my phone...). Catch you in the next town!