Why the PCT? Because it’s random, it’s hard, it’s scary, it’s something I’ve never done before and because it’s there, It’s a dream, and I’m ready. We are all at different points in our journey of life—I’d like to hope I’m at the beginning of mine—but then again you never know. In a world of chaos and competition it’s easy to get lost and drown. Unlike Will I’m not searching for what to do in life, but what to do next.
The world is full of endless possibilities, my greatest fear is not doing as much as is possible in the time that I am given. For 22 years I’ve been a fighter. I fought my way into this world and I can’t imagine taking the “easy road”. For me it’s through personal challenges that I grow the deepest and that’s how I want to continue to grow, deep, not up.
This hike for me is a chance to challenge myself physically & mentally like I’ve never been challenged before. As well as an opportunity to slow down and reflect. I’ve had a lot of life in these short years and I want to make sure the years to come only get better.
To Will—many thanks for agreeing to go on this crazy hike. And to everyone else who knows me—thanks to all of you for your continued support in all my dreams and crazy adventures.
For those of you who are wondering why on god’s great earth would someone put themselves through five months of living off of nothing but what’s on your back, I will explain. The first, and most important, reason for all of this madness is that I flat out have no idea what I want to/am going to do for the rest of my life, or at least the next several years. Doing nothing for five months besides walking, sleeping, and thinking will hopefully force me to come to at least a few conclusions about my future course. After going to Babson for a year I decided that college was not where I was going to find those answers if I didn’t take some time away from busy schedules and constant lecturing and advice. It’s not that I don’t appreciate people trying to help, but it is in the wilderness, my real home, that I need to find these answers for myself. This is also not to say that I will not return to college. It is quite likely I will desire a college degree to pursue future endeavors, and will probably continue my education as soon as I return.
As with anything, there are several other reasons which inspire me to hike this trail. The Pacific Crest trail is by no means easy, and therefore further enticing. It is 2,650 miles long from the scorching desert through the snowy cascades. If all goes well enough, it will be the most mentally exhausting and physically challenging feat I will have accomplished so far in my life. My appreciation for nature along with the spiritual and cleansing effects it has on me are equally as exciting as the challenge of thru hiking the PCT. Growing up in Alaska I spent most of my childhood outside. I did not revel in its beauty then, but after experiencing the suburb life and getting a mild taste of the city, there is nothing that I appreciate more than the calm, beauty, and fierceness of God’s earth as it was created.
Stephanie Madesh is one of the last causes for the PCT worth mentioning. Stephanie is the one that first brought up the idea of this cross country hike. She has her own reasons for this hike, as I’m sure she will eventually explain, but she invited me along looking for a bit of company along the trail. After some initial deliberation about how crazy this was, I am now probably more excited about it than even her. Even with as exciting as the wilderness is, such an endeavor would still get rather lonely. Steph has been an amazing friend and companion, which is why there is no one else I would rather spend five of the most critical months of my life with!
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