I spent the weekend with three of my Army buddies: PRV Perez, PRV FLores, & PFC Hernandez, took a squad of cadets that want to be in the Marines on a mountain. We went to the Angeles National Forest and hiked up a realllllly long way. I already had plans for the weekends but Friday morning, Perez called me and asked me to go on the trip since there was a female who would not have been able to go if I didn't. Her name is Elizabeth Ibarra but we called her Cadet Kelly; she was a highspeed warrior and it made me feel really good when she thanked me for giving up my weekend to be there.
I did not have my ACU's since my recruiter really lagged on that, but Perez and Hernandez took me to the PX and purchased the entire uniform for me which was awfully nice because I had no $$ and the Greens were very costly (esp the combat boots!). We all met up at Pioneer High School and drove from there to the mountains. We arrived to the bottom of the trail at about 1700 and hiked for two miles up. I felt so uber slow, especially since my boots were brand spankin new but I really pushed myself the whole way. It also sucked because we had to carry all our gear on our backs, which is something I should totally get used to for basic.
We had two cadets stay up to do fireguard so the rest of us could knock out. I was very tired but I couldn't sleep, so Cadet Kelly and I started throwing rocks at Perez, all curled up in his sleeping bag. He told me to cut it out because we were supposed to be setting an example for the kids, but ended up laughing because Cadet Kelly was handing me the rocks. So then somehow we all ended up getting up, looking into the distance, seeing the light pollution in the sky from the cities below, tried to tell scary ghost stories that ended up as an inside joke the rest of the weekend. I really like talking to Perez about everything in life, he's a really chill guy. Plus he reminds me a lot of Ricky.
Saturday:
Finally fell asleep around 0230, then woke up at 0400 and began the long hike to our second campsite. We saw one bear cub on the way and another bear when we arrived at our campsite (Alpine Tavern Site). That area used to be a huge hotel place before it burned down during 1950's. The latrines were kinda freaky to me: toilet with a huge hole underground leading to sceptic tanks. Made me scared to go pee ahha. Perez and I ended up having to escort Flores down the mountain. On the way back up, I had a long talk with Perez about Army & Marines. He was trying to put out that Army is better And Marines was all looks, but I just concluded that out there in the battlefield it doesn't matter and we work together. However, we both agreed that it's annoying when civilians hate on the military while they're out there fighting for the freedom for them so say such things. I thought a lot about Jason and how much I miss him while he's currently stationed in Japan. It's going to be a lonnnnnng while before he comes home. Perez says that I shouldn't really wait unless I know that Jason's 'the one', but you know what, I'm not really looking for a relationship. I just want to focus on life, go to school, get started on my career, & wait for him<3 I know it probably sounds like a silly idea to mannnnnnny others but INDIA DELTA CHARLIE!
Perez & I were really caught up with our conversations so as we approached the campsite, we got ambushed by the cadets with their "bang bang!"-ing and Hernandez came out laughing at us. Then kinda knocked out while the cadets had class and recon on Inspiration Point. For lunch chow, I utilized my Quiznos sandwhich making skills and made 5 sandwhiches very quickly as Hernandez barely finished one. We kinda ran low on water but luckily for us there was a running stream nearby so Perez taught us how to filter out the water as much as possible and everyone had real spring water which wasn't so bad. I REAAAAALLY hated the mosquitos. I have bites everywhere! I tried to explode them the way Ricky&Perez told me to but it didn't work so I have itchy spots all over my hands & face! We were supposed to do another recon&ambush after dinner chow, but I heard a rustling below and indeed it was a wild mountain lion coming towards us! We all marched together and scared it off, but Perez went extreme combat mode trying to chase after the thing, crazy guy. So we stayed at the campsite instead and learned how to use facepaint. Everyone looked so silly with black and green on their face as they widened their eyes. Hernandez painted my face last and Perez thought it would be SOOOOO funny to give me a huge unibrow and Hitler mustache so that is indeed what they did and had Cadet de la O take pictures of me so he can make it his default MySpace picture.. wtfffff >:[
Sunday:
I was really tired so I fell asleep while they were sharing more dumb scary stories, not even considering that there's a mountain lion lingering nearby. I woke up at 0430 and fireguards reported seeing two mountain lions. Perez had fallen out of his sleeping bag and half of himself was on me, the other half in the dirt with his sleeping bag on top. It was pretty funny. He repositioned himself and I went deep inside my sleeping bag. Since we didn't have to wake up until 0630, I thought about Jason until I fell asleep and continued dreaming about him. :] but then I woke up and saw a big brown spider at the head of my sleeping bag, half crushed still alive but not for long since Perez stomped on it. We marched the kids back all the way down the mountain. The weight of the gear wasn't as bad, but the hike down was really painful on our feet. I felt really tempted all the time so say HALT, but I kept pushing myself, ignoring the friction of my socks rubbing on my feet. When I struggle with these things, I usually think of Jason and it helps me get through. Most of it really is all mental.
Afterwards we went to go eat at Pizzamania (Norwalk). Perez was driving ever so recklessly on the freeway, plus he didn't listen to my directions so we got lost and ended up in Chinatown. That was my first time in public with my ACU's. I didn't have a name tag thing so Perez let me wear the one from his cover. I said that I would be a Filipino Perez, but he said I was more beaner than himself (since I know more Spanish than him and he's 100% Mexican). He's so funny, we started cracking stereotype jokes about each other until the pizza arrived. Everyone pretty much destroyed the pizzas, mozzarella sticks, and potato wedges. I had to resist and ate only one slice. I'm feeling good now :D
Perez took me home. I couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculous he looked (he was the only one who kept his facepaint on). I had work right away so I took a uber quick shower which felt reaaaaaallly good. I had almost called off work, even though it was my last day, but according to my co-workers, goood thing I didn't! I met the newest Quizno's team member who is taking over my shifts from now on. Apparently, I already knew his little brother from wrestling! Joon pulled me aside and told me how much he respected me, especially because I made the decision to serve unlike most other 17 year old girls who don't care about anything. He also told me that he's been keeping me in his prayers since I told him I enlisted. What a pleasant feeling! :D
Anyways, I spent a long time on this blog. I was supposed to go to Sabina's birthday party, hosted at Thommy's house after work, but I stayed with Alyssa instead, plus I didn't want to keep Mrs. Guerrero up & she was already mad at Ricky for leaving without saying anything. :P I should be sleeping but my babyboy is still up! (:
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