Tonight all seven of us at the tent site inadvertently sat around a desert flower arrangement (no camp fires allowed). One from Japan, one from Croatia, two strangers from England, and US representation from LA and Boulder, were now dinner companions, laughing at all the same jokes.
This rag tag bunch just grew as the day went on. In the morning I started the hike with Josh, from LA by way of Michigan. By Mile 5 we crossed paths with Nicholah, the Croatian being filmed by the Koreans. Later we picked up Rose from London. And the others filled in at the very end.
The early morning flew by covering the gamut of talking points with Josh, a freelance film maker who earns a living as an editor. Josh has done more recognizable work editing seasons of the Real World and other reality TV shows like keeping up with the Kardashians. The line between staged and real reality seems to be closely connected to the number of tapes an editor recieves over the course of a few days. Where a Real World editor might see 50 tapes over 3 days, a Kardashian editor may see 5…
If you were keeping count, the Americans are outnumbered by foreigners tonight. And the recurring theme seems to be a 50-50 split.
The explanations on the trail for this balance seems to focus on lenient vacation policies overseas. And those explanations have merit.
But my mind wanders. Does it really come down to vacation time?
Or is the human element conditioned to search for green grass on the other side?
A 50-50 split isn’t just a PCT thing. On my road trip here, that ratio was present at Zion, Arches, the Grand Canyon, Death Valley…
I think us Americans are missing out on some remarkable experiences here at home.
But I don’t have time to elaborate just now, it’s windy and my tent keeps falling over.
Mile 63.6
