Die Old Habits, DIE!!!

So i met someone on the trail. she was hiking alone and so was i so we decided to hike together. Man its get lonely out there!! Anyways, i'm in Long Beach right now cause she got sick, so we hiked to the nearest major road and her mom came and picked us up to rest for a couple of days. I need to rethink my pack weight and some of the things i am carrying. She's gonna do the same. her family has been real nice and their great people. another hiker let us know that a little ways ahead theres snow on the trail and in the mountains so hopefully thats all melted by the time we get up there so we aren't forced to back track or hold up somewhere and wait it out. its been great so far. She;s really brightened my spirits and kept me going. There was a few times when i wanted to give up cause i got lonely and started thinking about the family and everyone. I would ask myself what i was doing there and why was i doing it. a few other hikers are on the trail and are trying to rush it to make it home. I think i'll be alright as long as i hike with someone who can hold a conversation as well as she does. It also turns out that there isn't as much distance between points as i thought there was gonna be, not yet at least, so i just gotta keep thinking about making it to the next point. A coyote came into our camp site the other night, or a least came close to it. Probably smelled our food, but didn't bother us. I think we're gonna try to hit up REI today to try to exchange some gear. Also need to rethink what food i want to carry cause noodles just ain't cutting it. Met a really cool guy from Montana, trail name "Hungry Montana", he gave me an idea about salami as a meal in which i dont have to cook when i'm tired. I don't have any blisters yet which is good, Megan (girl I'm hiking with) has given me so many ideas about how to hike and what i need and dont need and what to do when i rest. I'm just so used to the structured hikes of the Marines, old habits die hard i guess.