The first thing I noticed about her was that she carried a very big knife. That’s unusual for a PCT thru hiker because a knife like this weighs more than a pound, and that’s a commitment for folks whose entire pack might weigh a total of 15 pounds.
Her trail name is Forager and she’s from Kentucky. Louisville, I think. I met her just once at a fire station in the San Gabriel mountains in far east Los Angeles County which allows hikers to sit in the shade and use their water spigot. This qualifies as an oasis in our book. Everyone was relaxed, having fun and resting for the next stretch of desert walking. Forager was doing yoga.
She engaged in some yoga positions that looked very painful, but she advised me how to do Pigeon pose using a picnic table without rupturing my butt muscle. When I found out her name was Forager, I asked what she had found to eat. “Not much in the desert,” she said. “I’ve found some plantain, miner’s lettuce and herbs like sage.” She was keeping the knife for the trail ahead which would yield more bounty. As she talked, she continued her yoga. I asked if she had a specific practice. She answered that she did Ashtanga Yoga every day, and had gone to Mysore, India to study with her guru.
It blew my mind a little that this country girl from Kentucky not only practiced yoga, but was adept at one of the most challenging asana practices. If you’ve ever tried the Mysore style of Ashtanga yoga, you know how hard it is. Certainly, more challenging than the hot Bikram yoga that is the heart of my practice. Also, you should know that Forager owns a pet pig which follows her around like a dog when she is home.
This was the first and probably last time I’ll ever meet Forager. She and her trail sisters were headed down to Santa Monica for a day at the beach before returning to the trail. Me, I had another 8 miles and a 1,500 foot climb before my day ended.
I know this will sound stuck up: but if someone from Louisville knows how to forage for her food, practices Ashtanga Yoga, learns from an Indian guru and keeps a pet pig, somehow that gives me hope for the red state of Kentucky.