Paradise On The Ground

Day 18 - Campsite 400.8km to Snoqualmie Pass Living ultralife After yesterday's incredible hike, it would've been hard to top it, but for some reason, I'm on a roll. 

DAY 14 - Skykomish to tensite 308.9 km Like a good book Almost a Nero day... nearly a zero. Leaving town is hard. Damn hard. You wake up to a deflated ego. Your dream day yesterday is a distant memory, and that ruck sack sitting by the door needs to be repacked and thrown back on your shoulders and hips to attempt to hike another 3975km to Mexico!

ZERO DAY - Skykomish Ideally an uneventful day. That's what I wanted. I awoke around 8:30 (strangely the body tried 5:30, I told it to grow up and go back to sleep). Started the day with essential laundry. Keyword ESSENTIAL. Along with the beloved shower, laundromat is a hikers best friend. Get yo ass quickly to that part of town and start washing! Do not skip the detergent.

DAY 13 - Peach lake campsite to Skykomish Like sleeping with the lights on Town day. You know when you have something really exciting or important on tomorrow and for some reason your body is so happy to keep you awake or restless? It's almost as if you are attempting to shut eye with every light in the room left on. That's what hiking 'town day' feels like!! It's the best and worst mental state to begin your day at! Haha! Town day is the final day of the last stretch, which means you will be in a town by the end of the day to pick up your resupply. (AND SHOWER!! SOAP!! SHAMPOO!!)

Except there's no poached eggs or almond milk lattes here. It's just you and the wilderness.  Day 1. Seattle to Harts Pass to Windy Pass EPIC. F****** EPIC. Yep, today had moments.  There was a lot done. Yet so little. I posted 14 of my boxes and things were off to a slow start for the day. We didn't end up getting our ride until 11.30am and even so, the car we had wouldn't make it up the trail towards the Harts Pass PCT trail head. I knew I should've trusted my instincts.

Tonight, I looked up. I've noticed myself looking upwards these days. Appreciating what's above. We spend so much time looking down; at the ground, where we are stepping, on our phones, on our computers, reading, writing (see, not all terrible examples)! But today I walked downtown Seattle city and just looked up. When I came home to my co-hikers place, I went to the bathroom and looked up...

So I'm meant to be up in 4 hours for a mountaineering course, but my head has been bagging my resupplies and trying to work out everything I require before leaving on Wednesday. So I'm here with resupply-brain, but my head has been circling around the concept of what brings us to these moments in life. Whatever journey that may be for us all; what actually lead us to make these choices?

After 3 hours sleep, I made it to the airport not feeling anywhere near as worried as I was last night. I am exhausted, but that's my own fault. Aside from a severe difficulty to sleep on planes, the fault lies in me for packing my backpack at the last minute (you'd think after all these years of touring, I'd be able to pack a suitcase at least a few days prior to departure)! I know why I procrastinate with packing. I never procrastinate on anything else in life. I make fast decisions (like this GREAT idea of hiking the PCT) and I am generally a good go-to option/opinion for those who require help in making decisions. Just ask Jack Chambers! Haha

My final night in Australia. It's been one crazy busy day, running around like a complete headless chook trying to stock up on everything last minute; and when you think of one thing, for some reason, it triggers another thought of something else you need. It's like chasing your own tail. My life has significantly been reduced down to a backpack, 2 shirts, 2 pants, a tent, mattress, sleeping bag and all the other goodies that will get me through these next 6 months. A bit different to touring with 6 suitcases of luggage, makeup, juicers, blenders, humidifiers and nonstick frypans. It immediately puts that into perspective.

2017 PCT SOBO RESUPPLY LOCATIONS I have had to sit down and work out the opening and closing times of these locations, along with the days they are open, so as not to arrive in the location and not being able to actually collect my supply. And also, not waste days waiting for the Post Offices or locations to actually open. I'll keep an electronic version of these on me and am posting them here in case people need to send me any letters, equipment or just plain LOVE along the trail. haha!!