One year ago from today, I was completing my journey on the Pacific Crest Trail(PCT). I remember that day very well as though it happened yesterday, it was warm, sunny, perfect, the scent of fall lingered in the air and my heart was aching. I remember how I wished the final miles could go on forever. I was finishing a journey that had been the greatest most amazing experience of my life. I remember reaching Monument 78, the Canadian/US border, I remember how I was overwhelmed in a way I had never been before, how time felt as though it stood still and how I could not figure out how to feel, what to say, or what to think. When I think about September 27, 2012, it still brings me to tears. It makes me feel sad because I miss it, because I miss the people I met, I miss the long days spent outside and the feeling within myself of working towards a goal and being on an grand adventure. Though sometimes now I admit, I do think to myself, why would anyone hike 2,660 miles, once, let alone twice?? I began the PCT with an entire book of questions and I was sure that after thru hiking the PCT that something profound would occur within myself or my life.
Reaching Monument 78, was not a profound moment, it was bitter sweet, bitter mostly, maybe a better word is sad, it was sad, it was sad to have this dream, this journey come to an end, there was no more Trail, no more resupply towns, the magic seemed as though it just stopped, right there on the border, it stopped and all of a sudden the reality of "normal life" forced itself into my head. Ugh, normal life!! I had been waiting for this so called profound thing to happen and all that there was there, was a wooden monument :( Little did I know that in the coming months(during the past 365 days) thats when the profound changes would occur deep within myself. Little did I realize that the PCT did change me, there was something profound out of all of those miles. My time along the PCT continues to humble me, it continues to remind me of love, of beauty, of peace, of simplicity and of a life that I dearly love, for there is no better or richer life than that spent out of a backpack in the mountains.
People always asked me, don't you miss life back at home, you are really hiking for 5 months, don't you miss this or that? I missed my dog, my family and my friends, sometimes I missed silly things like a bubble bath or music, or books, but out of all of the things I missed out there, the one thing that could make my day better was always the sound of my parents voice. I am old, but I tell ya, there was nothing as wonderful out there as the sound of my parents voice. I am so thankful to have my parents, to have had their support and love along the miles of the PCT! My mom always bitched about all the phone calls where she had to do"Trail Therapy." I am sure many phones calls were rough for them, I had difficult days out there, days of being cold, wet, hungry, lonely, tired, or weak and some days I wanted to quit and for some reason, I never did. So, of course I miss some things, mostly people or my dog. The countless conveniences of everyday life and so on, I don't much miss. I still think it is kinda of funny when someone says to me, "hey there is filtered water in the fridge." if they only knew what some of my water sources looked like, damn, dead mice, cow pies, horse poop, oh my!!
I have learned to become more simple in my own life, I have learned to slow down, to never give up, to dream big, then bigger, to value my time with the ones I love and to fully embrace the great outdoors, to allow the land and the wild to be my greatest teachers, to not become distracted with the unnecessary things in life, I have learned that a day spent outside is always grand and never wasted. But, above all that I have come to learn since my time out on the PCT, I have learned that I am capable of anything I put my mind to, I know people have told me that since I was little, but now I truly believe it!!
Long gone are my days on the PCT, but without the PCT, I would have never dared to dream what I am now.
Thank you to the Sauffleys, who opened their home and hearts to me as well as so many other hikers, thank you for having that piano in your home and allowing me to play it, thank you for all of the love. Thank you to the Andersons for all of your generosity, your wonderful backyard and all of the laughs. Thank you to the Dinsmores, who had enough wisdom to help me make the hard, but smart decision to stop hiking back in 2011, and thank you for opening your hearts and home to me once again in 2012. Thank you to Tom in Kennedy Meadows for lending me a bear canister for the Sierras and for all of the kindness and pancakes. Thank you to Shrek for driving me to get much needed socks. Thank you to Ziggy and the Bear for driving me to Palm Springs so I could fly home and attend my Grandmothers funeral. Thank you to Sugar Momma for that cookie at Deep Creek in 2011 and for your sweet personality and all of your love. Thank you to Larry and Lucy Mann, for being so wonderful to me and for taking me in back in 2011, seeing you in Crater Lake last year, made my day! Thank you to Jim and Dona Miller for your hospitality, you made the final part of the PCT easier for me. God bless all of you!!
Thank you to Cookie, Nino, Highlife, Zumi, the Swisters, White Bear, Dyno, Sunset, Tortoise, Sonjay, Tibetan, Shawn, and many many others, thank you thank, guys for all of the wisdom, tears, laughter, encouragement, love, grace and friendship.
Lastly, thank you to my mom and dad for everything, there are no words to describe how much I love you and how grateful I am to you both. Thank you mom and dad for all the countless phones calls of"Trail Therapy," for the cookies you sent me and for encouraging me to continue, when I wanted to quit.
Thank you to everyone for being such a wonderful vital part of my thru hikes on the PCT!!
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| My Entry in the Register at the Canadian Border!! |
