Best Get To Walking...

Well Im officially off on another adventure!! I flew to San Diego Saturday evening where I was may by Tracks, Wild Turkey, and Maria. We hung out Sunday and went to Scout & Frodo's on the afternoon. Scout and Frodo are trail angels that life in San Diego and open their house up too hikers! They have tents set up in their back yard for sleeping quarters and serve both supper and breakfast before giving roses too the southern terminus.

Monday morning turned out to be cold and rainy. As it turns out it rains in the desert! Who knew?! A group of us hiked the first 20 miles to Camp Morena. It went pretty quickly and I would have to say a great start! Tracks met Turkey, Maria, & I there and grilled us up some amazing chicken & steak burritos!

It rained on Tuesday too, although it mostly stopped by the afternoon and only misted after that. The overcast day made for great hiking weather though!!

Wednesday was our first beautiful day (weather wise) We met several other hikers during our lunch break and we have been hiking around them since.

We came into Julian Friday morning, for my first resupply. This is also where Maria gets off...so I'll officially be on my own! Except not really....cause there are lots of other hikers around:) It was absolutely awesome to have Maria with me though!! She did amazing and hopefully she even will do more small hiking trips on the future!!😁😀

In comparison to the AT, the trail is vastly different! The grade of the trail is much lower...so although it might mean walking miles uphill, it isn't steep. Also, you can see hikers from far away!!! Like even on the mountain across from you!!!! On the AT you could see someone 100ft in front of you... And then there are the views! So far it's been constant views. You are rarely hidden among the trees.

What Do You Carry?

I want to try something a little different on my blog, which will hopefully make it more interactive and less just me rambling about (quite possibly) boring topics. 😏 So I'm you all to comment/text/facebook/dm/email me questions you have. Whether its about what I carry on my hike or larger picture questions like why I do it. These questions are not necessarily limited to hiking either (although most questions I get relate to it), it could be about travel or life experiences....or whatever. I'm leaving the creation of questions to you guys. Anyway, then I will answer those questions throughout my blog posts! If this is a flop....well, I guess I'll just keep posting my random thoughts anyway..😁

What do you carry while hiking?

First off, as a thru-hiker, I geek out on gear, go over every ounce of weight I'm carrying, and continually try to cut down to the minimum.  Also, there are several differences in what I carried on the AT versus what I will be carrying on the PCT. So I will be sharing the gear for PCT. However, if you all want, I can do a comparison in another post...because it is actually kind of crazy how much lighter my pack is this time!! I mean, like pounds lighter...!

PCT Gear Photo (Not Included: temporary gear/clothing worn)

I'll start with the Big Four (backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and shelter). I changed out all my gear for the big four. Mostly to cut down on a lot of weight, but also because of some of the logistics. For instance I used a hammock for the AT, however using that for the PCT would cause a lot more problems and limit the places I could camp at night.

• Backpack: Superior Wilderness Designs 40L Frameless with hipbelts (22oz)
• Tarp: Borah Gear 7x9 (9.5oz)
• Quilt: Enlightened Equipment Enigma Down 10 degree (19.9oz)
• Sleeping Pad: Therm-a-rest Zlite (10oz)

Temporary Items:

I will have these sent to me just for the Sierras.

•  Bear Canister (35oz)
• Ice Axe (7.12oz)
• Microspikes (11.9oz)
• Bug Bivy (6.5oz) - I will likely have this sent to me again once I get farther north.

Kitchen:

• Sawyer Squeeze (3oz)
• Smart Water Bottle (I will have 2 of these)
• Talenti Jar: Used for cold soaking (1.75oz)
• Spork (.5oz)
• Camp Towel (1.4oz)
• Water bags (I will be able to carry up to 6 liters between my water bottles/bags)

Packed Clothing:

•  Montbell Thermawrap Parka (9.9oz)
• Frogg Togg Jacket (5.5oz)
• Wind Pants (3.5oz)
• Leggings (7.5oz)
• Smartwool Camp Socks (2.5oz)

Electronics:

•  Anker Battery Pack (13oz) - I may consider buying a smaller batterypack to save some weight.
• Charger
• Headlamp (3.03oz)
• And likely I will throw in a cheap set of earphones

Bathroom Kit:

• Contact Solution/Case (3oz)
• Toothbrush (.3oz)
• Toothpaste (.85oz)
• Hairbands
• Tweezers (.3oz)
• Fingernail Clippers (.5oz)
• Hairbrush (1.5oz)
• DivaCup (.5oz)
• Chapstick (.15oz)
• Sunscreen 

Worn Clothing:

• Columbia Long-sleeve button up
• Brooks Cascadia Trail Runners
• Buff
• Patagonia Hat
• Darn Tough Socks
• Bra
• Shorts
• MPG Tank top

Misc: Trowel, toliet paper, map, trekking poles, and journal

And that is pretty much it! That brings my base weight to 8.7lbs!! Base weight doesn't include clothing worn, food, or water.  I also didn't include the temporary items.  If I include the temporary items, my base weight for the Sierra's will be 12.48lbs.

I seriously can't believe how quickly it is approaching!! I am getting more and more excited (is that even possible?)!! I fly out the evening of April 27th and will be starting April 29th!! Just two more months!!

Also, please,please, please consider donating to Teen Challenge through my gofundme!! This is a great organization that helps those with addictions. I'm passionate about helping them and am thrilled to be hiking for their cause!!

Here's the Link:

Hike For Addiction Recovery

Life After Trail

A friend told me I needed to update my blog. I explained to him that I had been struggling with depression and feeling like I had nothing to write about. However, I told him I would post something by the end of the week. So here is that post.....two months later....

Since finishing the trail, I’ve been fighting off depression with varying degrees of success. Some days I am motivated, energetic, and on the upswing of settling into this new life style. Other days I try my hardest to motivate myself giving positive self-talk, but I remain deeply sad and unwilling to actively participate in life. There are have been numerous times where I spend hours getting myself to go workout. Good news is the good days are becoming a lot more frequent than the bad ones. That, in the end, is the goal anyway. Anyone who deals with depression knows that it isn’t something you “just get over” or “just be happy” about. It takes time and really, there will always be those days where it just takes over. And I believe that to be okay.

I had done enough research before to know that Post-Trail Depression was a very real thing. With my history of depression and seasonal depression that still plagues me from time to time, I was well aware that I would likely struggle after trail. I wasn't caught unaware as the depression hit me, but my awareness didn't stop it from coming. I didn't help myself out much by moving states and cutting me off from what I had known previous to trail. Not to say that I regret moving back up to Minnesota (except on days when its -50 windchill.....). I moved to MN so that I could spend some more time with family while I was in this stage of limbo and I wouldn't trade this time for anything! However, I lost familiarity by moving to a completely new city and put a great distance between my closest friends, mentors, and community. Everything about it has been an adjustment to say the least!

I crave fresh air like crazy. There have been times I have struggled to fall asleep on a bed in an enclosed room. Being inside for extended periods of time just about does me in. Major dilemma: I currently live in MN...where currently the temperatures are far into the negatives! Thankfully, most of the winter, I have been able to get out and go running when its at least above single digits and I almost always walk to work (except this week when its -20 something). I've always kind of been amazed how much my mood is affected by the weather, but I can't tell you how much being outside for even a 12 minute walk to work makes me more positive and happier!

I miss the trail. Trail became the place I belonged and I long to go home. Surrounded by God's creation with little man-made contraptions barging in on and overtaking the raw beauty. I miss the simplicity. Having your basic needs met. Not having any of the luxuries/excesses, yet be receiving more than you can ever imagine! The trail provided a strong routine with few choices to be made. Yet it also gave the hiker a large amount freedom in those choices.

I wrestle with the expectations of what people want my life to resemble. Most do it out of good intentions, but I have found that we, in general, want to stay in the arena of what is known and like when others do the same. We can do risky things, as long as the risk is known to us. For example, how many of you even think twice before getting in your car and driving somewhere? Or yet, placing your kids in the car to take them somewhere? Why? You are far more likely to die or be seriously injured in a car accident than if you jumped out of a plan with a parachute. I'm not saying don't drive... I'm saying that it is a known risk to us, so it doesn't scare us near as much as something that is completely unknown to us.  All that to say, I've caught on to all the hints and comments different people have made to me. Whether they think its time for me to settle down, get into a career, or get married so that I stop hiking. At first the comments really irritated and hurt. Not that their words still don't irk me from time to time, but when people say things now I try to look past to what is really behind the words. They want for me the best, but it's often times the best of what they know. It's not bad, it's just not what I want. I learned a long time ago to never box God in and to be open to whatever comes. That is the most freeing place to live. It means that sometimes you are giving up financial security, a career, the "dream home,"etc. But the relationships, experiences, and personal growth you gain far out way those things.  It's really funny, because when I was 16 I had my life pretty much planned out. I was in my first year of college. I planned to get my degree in Accounting, find a cubicle job (will little people interaction), have an apartment by myself, and never move away from home. Yah, those who have known me all these years know exactly what I'm talking about.  Those who have only known me the past 1-8 years are probably having a difficult time picturing me being able to tolerate such a life, much less it being my ideal life! 😂

I feel suffocated just thinking back on it now! And I'm beyond glad that my life as turned out nothing like what I wanted it to be back then.  But it came from embracing the "abnormal" and choosing to open myself up to new experiences. Through it my soul has come alive. I ran across a quote shortly after returning from trail.  "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." God has created us each uniquely and we shouldn't let what makes us different go to waste.

Anyway, to bring it full circle, it's been hard to know how to respond to people's expectations because I know they care for me and I care about them (and what they think). Honestly, I still don't really know what the best way to respond is or what I'm suppose to do with the comments. However, I do know that God is my ultimate guide and whatever my life choices are, it is Him I will have to answer to and not my peers. I will probably always have to deal with being different and feeling like an outsider, when my decisions and pursuit of dreams that place me outside the typical. I'm okay with that if it means being who God created me to be.

This is where I have come to stand after announcing that I will be hiking the PCT less than a year after finishing the AT. I have done a great deal of processing my emotions, the future, reasonings, etc. I am working on making more plans ahead of time for life after the PCT than I did for the AT. I will be hiking the PCT with a greater purpose (most of you are well aware of this already)...raising money for Teen Challenge and bringing awareness to addictions.  The PCT is a hike to honor my dad's life and his battle with addiction.  God has given me the ability, time, finances, and opportunity to make it happen. I know I could be doing 100 other things, but I'm choosing to hike for myself, for my dad, and because I want to inspire others. When people look at me, I want them to see that their dreams might be big or kind of crazy, but they can achieve them with hard work. I want people to see that it doesn't taken an extraordinary person to live an extraordinary life. It simply takes an ordinary person willing to search for the ladder that will take them over the wall to reach extraordinary....because most people simply stop when they see the wall. Most of all, I want people to see that no matter what traumas, addictions, abuse, or heartaches they have gone through or are battling; there is hope. That it is possible for them to find healing and live fully alive.

Here is the link for my fundraiser, if you would like to check it out and donate!!
Hike For Addiction Recovery

Now, for those of you really concerned...does this mean I will never have a career? I have a career. It is inspiring and helping people. Does that mean I will find a job I will last years in? {shrugs} Who knows? Life changes rapidly. Although I can't picture a 20 year job coming into my life in the next year or two....that doesn't mean it won't happen. Will I ever get married? (Seriously the number of times I get asked this or receive deep concerns about....) Again {shrugs} who knows? No, I am not against marriage. Yes, I would like to get married at some point. Seriously though, it will happen when it happens. I'm not going to spend my life now pining away for something that may or may not happen. No amount of worrying, wishing, dreaming, or pining will change the future, but it will change the present...and not in a good way. It will steal away amazing moments, joys, and opportunities.


Well after the - possibly unwanted - glimpse into my brain the past few months, here is what I've actually been up to.

Freezing my buttocks off.....😒

Okay really...I've been working at Aldi. Which I really, really enjoy a lot! Compared to my last job....its very un-stressful! I have enjoyed learning how the store operates, getting to know my co-workers, and I'm starting to figure out the regulars.

When I'm not at Aldi, I am either at the climbing gym in the cities, playing the piano (I am loving mom's baby grand...!!), playing guitar, reading, planning for the PCT, running, or writing. I'm enjoying living only 2 hours from Morris too!

This past weekend, the entire family came to Hutchinson to celebrate our family Christmas. I loved having them all here! I hadn't seen Jeff since New Years Eve last year!

The weekend before I actually had a few hiking friends (Wild Turkey, Kidska, and Tracks) come up for a visit! Mostly to try ice fishing for the first time ever...:) It was fun to talk trail again and relive some of the memories!

The first weekend in January, I ran the Mt. Everest Challenge. Which is a Half Marathon, then a 5k, then 1800m. Race day was beautiful and 40 degrees! It was a lot of fun!:) Also...it was super cool to get four medals at the end....yep...pretty legit....

And as of two days ago, I'm only 3 months away from another incredible adventure!!!

Until next time...

The Tale's End

Summit day started out early for me. I was up at 4, unable to sleep anymore.  The excitement of the upcoming climb and all the thoughts of the last 4 1/2 months plagues my mind.  I packed up, ate breakfast, and then waited for the rest of the crew to get ready.  We signed in at the base of Katahdin at 6:40am and started the final climb.  The farther we climbed, the steeper it got and the more rock climbing/scrambling there was! Then we hit tree line and it was just a big rock scramble up.  We were gaining 1000ft of elevation per mile.  As we got above tree line, the mountain became pretty socked in and you couldn't see much. Then the last mile of the trail leveled out quite a bit and as I approached the summit, the clouds started to clear out. It was pretty cool to see the shadow of the sign emerging out of the clouds!!!! Fedex, Wild Turkey, and Bryce and made it to the top shortly before me and were there to congratulate me...and to watch the "grand finale."  That is....as I was just coming up to the sign, they started talking to me. I looked up at them and also got really excited to see the sign.  This left my untrustworthy feet to walk on rocks without a guide....thus I tripped and fell...right at the summit. 😂  It was the perfect way to end my hike. :)

Bryce, Wild Turkey, Papa Smurf, Strawberry

Tracks, Fedex

The Sled Dawgs

Bryce, Wild Turkey, Fedex, myself, and Tracks

After spending some time at the summit, we took Knife Edge across the other side of the mountain and then went down a different trail. Once we reached the bottom, Turkey's parents met us there with some snacks & drinks! Then we drove into Millinocket and stayed at the Appalachian Trail Inn. We went out to eat for supper, hung out at the hostel, and played hearts. Enjoying the last time we would probably all be together...at least for a long time!

Strawberry carried the extra weight of several lollipops to the top of Katahdin as a celebration of our completed hike!!

The next morning we all ate breakfast together before everyone started going their separate ways.  Bryce, Tracks, and Strawberry were the first to leave.  That is when the reality of it all started to hit me.  Shortly after they left, Turkey's parents came by and picked him up.  Then Fedex and I hung out for a couple hours...mostly in silence...before his dad flew in to take him home.  Saying good-bye to each of them was really emotional and hard.  When you spend every day with someone doing something together that most people can't even begin to relate too...you become really close.

I stayed in Millinocket for a couple days, waiting for Sarena to drive out and pick me up.  The days I spent waiting for her, were really hard (and the weeks following).  I missed hiking, like crazy.  It was one thing to take a day off while on trail, knowing that the very next day you would be back at it.  It was a whole other ball game to not hike for a day and realize that it would soon become the new normal.  It was a new normal that I wasn't at all ready for and that I didn't want. Even though hiking was sometimes a struggle and difficult, I loved it!!  I also loved that fact that I was physically active all day, every day!  I went from being active 10-12 hours a day to basically nothing.  Even now, running 6 miles only takes like 45 min...which is nowhere near what I considered a normal day! It was a major change for both my physical body and my mental state.  

The day after summiting, Stretch, Stef (his wife), and I did a 3 mile hike to an Ice Cave.  It was really nice to at least hike a little bit!! It was also EXTREMELY weird to hike with nothing but my phone! Right before we were going to leave, I kept trying to figure out what I would need. It was like my brain was fighting with itself...between needing nothing for a 3 mile hike and feeling like leaving everything behind would leave me unprepared. lol.

There was the relationships I had formed with the guys. We kept each other going, even when the weather or trail was rough. We had a unique, shared experience! They also brought a lot of humor into the mix, keeping our moral high and the trail a lot more enjoyable!  They became like family. I knew that the likely hood of seeing all of them again was not very high.  I mean, we literally all live in different states, all across the country! Also, there was the inevitable change that would occur in our relationships just based on the change in life.

Then there was the adjustment back into society.  This one sucked!! It is still hard for me, although it has gotten better over the past month.  You don't realize how much noise and chaos crowds and pummels your brain in daily life! That is, until you are away from all of it for months with only small amounts of it here and there. Out in the woods I had the noise of nature and the voices of others from time to time.  I very, very rarely even listened to music while hiking. Coming back, I frequently had headaches just from my brain being over-stimulated!  

There is also the fast pace of life.  People are completely lost in the rat race! Stuffing their calendars to fit in as much as they possibly can, running from one thing to the next, multi-tasking on too many things.  When we try to do too many things (even "good" or "important"), it kind of lessens the importance of all of it! Because you are no longer able to put your best foot forward for each of them. It's simply impossibly to give your best to everything.  This is probably the biggest thing that I am going to continue to fight/push against.  Because I don't want to get sucked back into that. Less is more. 

Here is some of what I learned about what I value...

• Love people, use things. - We are created as relational beings down to the core of who we are. It is through relationships (with God, family, friends) that we give and receive love, support, empathy, encouragement, laughter, etc. You won't ever find the kind of happiness that people bring from things. So don't crowd your life with so much stuff, that it takes away time/energy/importance of the relationships in your life.  People should be able to tell really quickly by looking at your life, what you value and hold has important.
• Community - We are meant to live life together.  We have all these different "units" that we are apart of....family, friends, work, school, church, town, county, etc.  However, as a society today we tend to live as very singular units.  I mean, how many of you know your neighbors...who you have lived next too for several years? We think that being an individual (being ourselves) means being independent.  But we NEED each other and there is so much to gain from being a part of a community! 
• Quietness - To be able to turn off all the noise, social media, advertisements, phone, etc that constantly plague our brains every day. Allow yourself long periods of time to enjoy silence.
• Thinking/thoughts - Our brains are always crowded with so much noise, we start liking/wanting the noise.  Especially when we are having a hard time, are stressed, sad, hurt, etc.  Because it is easier to get lost in the noise, than to have to be quiet with our own thoughts. However, it is so much healthier and way more powerful to allow yourself to think....even when it is hard and uncomfortable.
• Trying - Attempt your dreams/goals. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself.  It isn't going to be easy, you might never achieve your goal.  But don't go through life being afraid to try.  Whether it is because you might fail, it looks hard, it is different than the "normal American life," or because people might think you are irresponsible. A dream never attempted is worse than a dreamed failed.  I am also not saying to attempt every dream you have.  Dreams come & go and change throughout our lives.  You know the ones that are really important to you. Don't let those ones turn into regrets.

LIFE AFTER TRAIL

Sarena picked me up in Millinocket and we drove out to Acadia State Park (in Maine) for a couple days. We did some hiking, camping, and ate lobster.  Then we drove into Canada. We stayed in Montreal a couple nights and then went to Toronto/Niagara Falls before heading back to the states.

Also, I want everyone to know what an incredible person Sarena is. Seriously, she has been one of my biggest supporters and an amazing friend! Just on my hike alone....she started the trail with me back in GA.  Hiking a week...even in really miserable weather. Which was huge in helping me adjust to the trail!  Then she came out again when I was halfway done.  Spending a zero day with me. Then she came out at the end of my hike and road tripped back with me.  She is one-of-a-kind. 😊

Acadia State Park

Precipice Trail

Beehive Trail

Sunrise on top of Cadillac Mountain

She drove me to Illinois for Ignite, then I hung out all week at my Aunt Nancy's place.  I got to see my sister, cousin, and some friends throughout that week, which was amazing!!  Then Kelsy drove me up to MN. Where I spent the next week with my mom & Jerry.  I got to see Kevin & Nikki & Emma too!!!

While in IL, Ben took me up in his plane!! He even let me fly it!!..for a little bit...:) It was super cool!

Roadtripping with Kelsy

Emma😍😍

Also....Kevin & Nikki are expecting again!!! Super excited!!!!

 

This past week I drove back out to Vermont with the intensions of finishing up the Vermont Long Trail.  The first 105 miles of the trail are the same as the AT, so I wanted to complete the last 170 miles.  Mostly just to get back out hiking and because I thought the fall colors would be amazing!! However, it was really cold, wet, and muddy.  There wasn't much for views and it was suppose to be freezing cold and rainy.

The couple views that we did get...

So we bailed on the trail after 3 days. 😂 Instead we headed up to Canada. Checking out Montreal for a couple days and then Quebec City.  After a few days up there, we drove to New Hampshire to the White Mountains, to do some hiking again.  I decided that it is a lot more enjoyable to pick and chose when you hike....like avoiding the days it is going to rain...it's amazing!!

We found a few waterfalls along our drive through Vermont! 

This water was crazy clear!! It held a teal blue color to it, and you could see clear to the bottom of a deep pool!!

Montreal

Smoked Meat sandwich.

So.Amazingly.Incredible!! 

If you are ever in Montreal, be SURE and get one of these!!!

Notre Dame

Quebec City

 Hiked the Mt Pemigewasset trail.  It was pretty socked in at the top, but still a great hike!:)

What are my plans?
Well, tomorrow I am planning on driving to Boston to catch up with Who, then onto Philadelphia to see Fedex and Wild Turkey. Then I will make my way back to Indiana.  I intend to spend a week in Indiana seeing friends and going through all my things.  Afterwards I will be moving back up to MN and will be living with my mom & Jerry in their basement.  I have a job waiting for me once I get back (mid-October) at Aldi's.  I am really excited to be working there!! I am also really excited to be close to family for awhile! I am planning on staying up in MN for the next 5/6 months, saving up money and preparing for my next adventure..... yep that's right....:)

I am officially starting to plan and make preparations for hiking the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) next year!!! It is 2,650 miles, so longer than the AT, but it should take me around the same amount of time!  I am super excited to set out on another thru-hike and to see another part of the country!!!  Also, really excited to see what this next year brings!! I make my plans knowing that things can happen and change at any time. However, I chose to live my life actively working towards goals making adjustments as I go, rather than to wait for something to happen or not move forwards on something for fear of something else coming up.