Why?

When I think about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (which is constantly) it makes my hands quiver with anticipation, my stomach churn with concern, all while putting a giddy, massive grin on my face. It is rare to find thing that give me an emotional response like that. If there are others, SIGN ME UP because I enjoy those feelings.

One summer shortly after high school I was hiking in the Yosemite Valley, near Tuolumne Meadows, and the seed was planted. I ran across a group of three backpackers that looked

to me like their health and safety were in serious jeopardy. They had dirt and grime on every square inch of their body. They had facial hair that looked like it hadn’t been groomed in years. They had a stench wafting off their bodies that I would not wish upon my worst enemy. I could also tell that they were in extreme pain. Each one had their shoes off and were massaging their sore feet and stretching their tired legs. You’d think they were miserable

right? Wrong. They were smiling, laughing and enjoying what looked like a midafternoon snack. You could tell that they were having a blast. I leaned over to them and asked, “where are you guys hiking?” One of them answered “we are hiking the PCT”, while another quickly clarified “Pacific Crest Trail”. They made it seem as if I should know what that was, but I didn’t… and my proud, stubborn ass didn’t ask them to clarify. When I got home I went to ol’ reliable, Google, and looked up what this “PCT” was. From that point on it has always been a bit of a pipe dream to hike the PCT, walk from Mexico to Canada.

A few years ago, with the PCT still in the back of my mind, I made an internal commitment

that I want to make this pipe dream a reality. I have come to realize that life is short and

experiences that make me feel alive are of the upmost importance. In between monotonous

and ordinary days there are encounters and experiences that I can look back on and

reminisce. Hiking for 5 months through beautiful backcountry with nothing but a backpack could be one of my very best life experiences. Aside from the experience, which would be enough for me, is this massive challenge. Being an extremely competitive person, the thought of an obstacle or challenge has always driven me. The thought of pushing my body and mind to its limits is not only exciting, but it allows me to learn and understand myself better.

Hopefully this gives you a peak into my brain as to why this adventure/challenge is so fascinating to me and why I am so fired up to take this on.