Here goes nothing!!

It's my last night before I start hiking. Tomorow is my first day on the PCT. Man alive, I am about to really hike the PCT, it is a powerful, yet strange feeling. I am going to soak in my last hot bath, sleep in a big soft bed with many pillows, eat cookies, alot of cookies and try and prepare myself for the biggest adventure of my life. Wow, in the morning my life will change forever, the beatuy and grace I will experience on this Trail is much more than I can realize right now. I am ready for the time of my life, I am ready to push myself, grow, cry,laugh, and create memories that will forever make me a better more strong person.

So I am off!!!

San Diego

I am now here in San Diego, and in only 36 hours I will start my PCT hike. I am feeling very unsettled and scared. There is so much that I have no idea about and the next few days will prove to be very hard, long and lonely for me. I think this hike might be a little over my head, alittle bigger than what I am ready for, but I am set on doing it, no matter what happens or what challenge I face. I have no idea what I will see, or what I will find, or who I will meet, if I will get lost, or run out of food, water or fuel. I am a bit overwhlemed and to be honest sort of wishing I could fly home to Colorado and be compfortable all summer, but anyone that knows me knows that I won't. Saying goodbye to me dog Nanuk today tore my heart apart. So here I am, and on Thursday there I go, ready or not!!

Well, here comes the PCT

Tomorow, I leave to fly to San Diego, and thrusday morning I start at the Mexican Border!! I wish I could honestly say that I am excited, but I am filled with so many other emotions, excitment being the last one. I have been waiting, planning, researching and preparing for this day for years and there is many more emotions, concerns and worries than I ever thought possible. I have it all setup, this is my summer to thru hike the PCT and change my life as I know it forever. I am have dreamt of this hike and now tomorow I set off to actually hike it. I can't describe how I feel and I know absolutely nothing about what I will see, experience, or feel. I am an expert backpacker and I have a ton of knowledge, but nothing I know or have done will prepare me for this next six months. When it comes to the PCT, I know nothing at all and that is a scary but true realization. Thank you to my mom and dad, my family, my friends, my best friend Nanuk dog, and everyone else who has made this possible for me. I wish I had something profound to say, but I don't.

" May all my trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, leading to the most amazing view. May my mountains rise into and above the clouds." .. So here I go!!

My Best Friend Nanuk Dog

My dog nanuk is the world's best dog and my best friend. She has thru hiked the Colorado Trail with me twice, climbed countless number of peaks, backpacked and hiked all over with me and been there for me through the best and worst times in my life, she is my greatest teacher. She has always suffered from skin and food allergies and a handful of other health issues. Yesterday, I found out that she has been deaf in her left ear for years, due to a ruptured ear drum, I had no idea. I had been told that all of her ear infections in that ear were related to her skin allergy issues. On top of that she has arthritis in her spine. It makes me feel so bad that I had no idea that she was hurtting until now, right before I am leaving for a five month hike. How can I leave her? What will she think? Is it okay to leave her? I love that dog more than anything, she has made me a better person, she has given me a chance to remember the simple, beautiful things in life. I owe her more than I could ever repay. All of my best qualities are a reflection of her friendship, faith in me, loyalty, and love she has given me. There has been days when I did not want to play with her, I ignored her, forgot to do this or that for me, days when my life was more important than her.

But I am reminded again now that she is vital for my happiness, she is a wonderful furry critter that has loved me no matter what for 8 years, since she was 8 weeks old. She never cared if I forgot to play with her or ignored her, she loved me just the same. All the times when I was mad that I could summit a peak, or the weather ruined a hike, or I took a wrong turn, she never cared, she was just happy to be outside in the mountains with me. She loved me more than anything when I failed at a goal or fell short, she never thought any less of me. That is a true blessing! Here is to NANUK dog, the best dog in the world.

I pray that while I am hiking the pct, she will be okay, that she will be happy. I don't know if it is selfish to hike right now, but I look at it this way. I will always come home to her and its better I leave this year than in the next few years when she gets older. I hope that I am not making the wrong choice. Nanuk, I love you so much, I will surely miss you out on the Trail, for this is the first big hike of my life when you won't be there. It would do people good, to learn a few things from dogs. I love you Nanuk!!