Hike your own hike, is phrase well known in the thru hiking world, it means simply what it says, but it also applies to life back home. I am struggling everyday with the fact that I did not complete the PCT, I feel like a failure.I mean sure, I went through the Sierras in a history breaking snow year, climbed Mt. Whitney and hiked 2,316 miles, but I did not get to the end, I did not get to Canada, which was my goal. This sense of failure for me has only inspired me and forced me to desire more treks, more time in the wild.I have grown as a person due to the decision I made to stop hiking the PCT. I stopped hiking becasue mother nature said so, her power is greater than I will ever be and I can't beat it, so I have to respect it and I do. When I thru hiked the Colorado Trail the first time I barely made it 100 miles, then the next summer, summer of 2008 I completed a successful thru hike on the Colorado Trail, with my best friend, Nanuk dog. Again, in the summer of 2009 I reached out for the challenge of the Colorado Trail and completed a second thru hike, it was there along the Colorado Trail in 2009,that my desires for long distant treks and challenge grew ammensly. Thats what lead me to the PCT, thats what continues to sustain my desires for setting goals and going after them.
Though I came 348 miles from Canada, I learned so much on the PCT:
1) Hike your own Hike on and off the Trail
2) Make sure the people you love know it
3) Never give up
4) Experiences are what you make of them
5) Sometimes having courage means making the hardest decision
6) You must always respect mother nature and never forget to be humbled by her beauty and power
7) Most people in the world are great
8) Happiness is only true when you have someone to share it with
My hike on the PCT did not go how I planned, I did not give up, or quit, I was stopped by a force much bigger than me and so I am coming to terms with it, I think anyways. I miss the Trail and will set out to re hike the entire Trail next summer after I hike the Hayduke Trail.
Though I came 348 miles from Canada, I learned so much on the PCT:
1) Hike your own Hike on and off the Trail
2) Make sure the people you love know it
3) Never give up
4) Experiences are what you make of them
5) Sometimes having courage means making the hardest decision
6) You must always respect mother nature and never forget to be humbled by her beauty and power
7) Most people in the world are great
8) Happiness is only true when you have someone to share it with
My hike on the PCT did not go how I planned, I did not give up, or quit, I was stopped by a force much bigger than me and so I am coming to terms with it, I think anyways. I miss the Trail and will set out to re hike the entire Trail next summer after I hike the Hayduke Trail.
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