I'm going to hike the PCT!
Well folks, it's official! My permit is approved, my flight is booked, my gear list is slowly but surely getting purchased... I am going to hike the PCT! (Or at least some of it).
The Pacific Crest Trail is a national scenic trail that runs from the Mexican/US border and traverses the length of California, Oregon, and Washington all the way to just past the border of my home country, Canada. For 2,650 miles it crosses desert, forests, and mountains through 5 national monuments, 6 national parks, 25 national forests, and 48 federal wilderness areas.
In April 2018, I am going to fly to San Diego, hitch a ride to the Southern Terminus just steps from the US/Mexican border, set foot on the PCT, start walking, and see how far I can get.
Why?
Because... I want to be outside. Because I want to try something new. Because I want to challenge myself to do something I’m not entirely convinced I can actually do. Because I want to live simply. Because I want to learn some lessons I need to learn. Because I want to be in beauty. Because I want to find out what I’m capable of. Because I want to live with like-minded community. Because, because, because...
Because I've always felt so deeply at home in the mountains...which is a hard hunger to feed when you live in Ontario, where the highest point of land is a little over 2000 feet above sea level.
Because for years this has been a dream, and like many of my other dreams, it’s been sitting on the backburner in the “someday” category, waiting for the ever elusive “right time”. Which, I’ve learned, is not something that always arrives... sometimes it’s something that has to be created, carved out, decided upon.
In the last few years, I have been so blessed to have many things run smoothly and effortlessly in my life - a lot of amazing opportunities have fallen right into my lap and I am so grateful for that. It's one of many reasons why I feel it might be a bit crazy to willingly give up so much of my life to go on this huge adventure.
At the same time though, I've always wanted to be a bit crazy... to have something I just have to do, to the point where I'm willing to throw away comfort, predictability, and the safe cushion I tend to prefer to live on. For years I've been so envious of the exciting adventures I've seen people in my life go on, all over the world. I used to think it was the destinations I was jealous of, but I've realized that it's bigger than that - it's the freedom, the adventure, the living of life like it's happening right now.
Rather than waiting for the moment when it's convenient, when it makes sense, or when it feels easy, (a moment, I might add, that has not arrived, as much as I've waited for it), what if I just make the moment now? What if I decide to throw caution to the wind and actually do one of the things I keep talking about? What if I stop pining for a life I don't currently have and go ahead and make the one I want? Interesting questions that I’m finally feeling ready to answer.
I believe there is something in all of us that is drawn towards the concept of a Journey. While it may look different for everyone, we all have an elemental desire to engage in the process of searching for the answers to the often unacknowledged questions spoken by our soul. Maybe sometimes we find the answers, but it seems to me that the searching is the part that really matters. For me, that Journey is going to be just that - a literal journey through space - but it will also be a lot more, I think. What, I have no idea, but I'm sure I'll find out!!
I honestly don't know how far I'll make it on this hike... it's a lot of miles, and a lot can happen in 6 months that could mean continuing to move forward just might not be an option for me anymore. What I do know is that all it represents for me to even get on that trail - leaving my job, my apartment, my family, my partner; spending a very generous portion of my savings on ultralight gear; flying to the other side of another country, and setting out into unfamiliar territory with my own body as my main source of survival - all of that is already the Journey... and each step after the first one will be the furthest I've ever gone.
I guess I'll leave my ramblings there for now. Over the next few months I will be continuing to buy gear, planning my resupply strategy, building up my very weak leg muscles, wrapping up my job, packing up my apartment, and (attempting) to mentally prepare for what is sure to be one of the most challenging experiences of my life.
I created this blog mainly as a way to update those in my life who might care what I'm up to over the next year as I go through some pretty significant changes. I'll try to give some preparation updates and answer some questions in the months leading up to my trek, and then I plan to post at least a few updates from the trail, so people at home know how things are going.
Since I'm not likely to post with exceptional consistency or regularity, if you are interested in following my journey, I recommend you subscribe to the blog (there's a link at the top of the page) so that you'll get email updates whenever I post.
When you click subscribe, it will ask for your email address and then send you a confirmation email from "FeedBurner Email Subscriptions" - once you click the link in the email, you're good to go!
Thanks for all the support, everyone!!! I'm thinking some sort of FAQ might be a good upcoming post, so if you have any questions for me about all this stuff you can post here, email, or text me, and I'll do my best to fill you all in on all things PCT!
....
For those of you who don't know the story, let me fill you on how I decided that in less than 5 months, I'm going to attempt to hike over 4000 kilometers across the United States on the Pacific Crest Trail.
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| 2,650 miles / 4,265 kilometers from Mexico to Canada |
The Pacific Crest Trail is a national scenic trail that runs from the Mexican/US border and traverses the length of California, Oregon, and Washington all the way to just past the border of my home country, Canada. For 2,650 miles it crosses desert, forests, and mountains through 5 national monuments, 6 national parks, 25 national forests, and 48 federal wilderness areas.
In April 2018, I am going to fly to San Diego, hitch a ride to the Southern Terminus just steps from the US/Mexican border, set foot on the PCT, start walking, and see how far I can get.
Why?
Because... I want to be outside. Because I want to try something new. Because I want to challenge myself to do something I’m not entirely convinced I can actually do. Because I want to live simply. Because I want to learn some lessons I need to learn. Because I want to be in beauty. Because I want to find out what I’m capable of. Because I want to live with like-minded community. Because, because, because...
Because I've always felt so deeply at home in the mountains...which is a hard hunger to feed when you live in Ontario, where the highest point of land is a little over 2000 feet above sea level.
Because for years this has been a dream, and like many of my other dreams, it’s been sitting on the backburner in the “someday” category, waiting for the ever elusive “right time”. Which, I’ve learned, is not something that always arrives... sometimes it’s something that has to be created, carved out, decided upon.
 |
At the same time though, I've always wanted to be a bit crazy... to have something I just have to do, to the point where I'm willing to throw away comfort, predictability, and the safe cushion I tend to prefer to live on. For years I've been so envious of the exciting adventures I've seen people in my life go on, all over the world. I used to think it was the destinations I was jealous of, but I've realized that it's bigger than that - it's the freedom, the adventure, the living of life like it's happening right now.
Rather than waiting for the moment when it's convenient, when it makes sense, or when it feels easy, (a moment, I might add, that has not arrived, as much as I've waited for it), what if I just make the moment now? What if I decide to throw caution to the wind and actually do one of the things I keep talking about? What if I stop pining for a life I don't currently have and go ahead and make the one I want? Interesting questions that I’m finally feeling ready to answer.
I believe there is something in all of us that is drawn towards the concept of a Journey. While it may look different for everyone, we all have an elemental desire to engage in the process of searching for the answers to the often unacknowledged questions spoken by our soul. Maybe sometimes we find the answers, but it seems to me that the searching is the part that really matters. For me, that Journey is going to be just that - a literal journey through space - but it will also be a lot more, I think. What, I have no idea, but I'm sure I'll find out!!
I honestly don't know how far I'll make it on this hike... it's a lot of miles, and a lot can happen in 6 months that could mean continuing to move forward just might not be an option for me anymore. What I do know is that all it represents for me to even get on that trail - leaving my job, my apartment, my family, my partner; spending a very generous portion of my savings on ultralight gear; flying to the other side of another country, and setting out into unfamiliar territory with my own body as my main source of survival - all of that is already the Journey... and each step after the first one will be the furthest I've ever gone.
I guess I'll leave my ramblings there for now. Over the next few months I will be continuing to buy gear, planning my resupply strategy, building up my very weak leg muscles, wrapping up my job, packing up my apartment, and (attempting) to mentally prepare for what is sure to be one of the most challenging experiences of my life.
Want to follow me on this adventure?
Since I'm not likely to post with exceptional consistency or regularity, if you are interested in following my journey, I recommend you subscribe to the blog (there's a link at the top of the page) so that you'll get email updates whenever I post.
When you click subscribe, it will ask for your email address and then send you a confirmation email from "FeedBurner Email Subscriptions" - once you click the link in the email, you're good to go!
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| (Don't worry... I will NOT be wearing a pack this big...) |
Bye for now!
- Michelle
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What's wrong with wearing a pack as big as in the above photo ;)
ReplyDelete