Paradise On The Ground

DAY 63 - Donner Pass to campsite 2527.36 km Something more than everything  Wow. Today was everything I could have wished for and more. Never in my entire PCT adventure did I expect what today gave me. It gave me heart. It gave me hope. And it gave me life. 

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.

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

Pacific Crest Trail What? Where? When? Why? I can hear the questions already. Why not? I believe everything happens for a reason and sometimes things don't require an explanation right now. The PCT calls for different reasons for each individual. I like a challenge. I love the outdoors. I love to travel. I love to explore. And more than anything, I'm on a new journey. This is just an extreme start.

Sometimes bodies just don't. They don't do what they are supposed to. They don't love you no matter how good you are to it. They don't respond the way they should. My health has been on a decline for some time now and after seeking even higher professional testing (with doctor number 6) and a long, long journey of struggle for 2 years, I have been finally been given a diagnosis. I'm not going into detail because this blog is not about that. So after making some incredibly difficult career and medical decisions, I have decided to take the next 6-12 months to allow my body to fully recuperate and get myself back to good health.

Tomorrow is a whole new adventure. New people. New explorations. New beginnings. It's strange how excited I have been for this step, yet I sit here typing this with trepidation. This last week has been chaotic, which has definitely helped with time flying; but as the hours now slowly pass until my flight out, I feel a little flighty - no pun. A little butterfly-like. I know this will ignite a sense of discovery in myself and come the end of the adventure, I will know more about myself then I have before. And that's the point, right? "Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better." A quote for the road... Thanks Einstein. Nature. They say it's cheaper than therapy. I grew up surrounded by it; let's go back to it. See you on the flip side. Gx

It's come to a time in my life where I am setting out to find myself; find what makes me happy. Call it saturn's return, or whatever you like, but we can all get sucked in to the environments and people around us, and find ourselves stuck with what's next. I've been so dependent on others in the last 6 years of my life, that it's time to take care of myself, first and foremost. When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. I have nothing to complain about with my career - I am most grateful. However, considering I have this time before I start my next tour, I am setting myself 'me' projects. I will write more songs, I will travel more, explore my surroundings more, open my eyes more and be me. I'm not searching for anything in particular, but that's the best way to be. A little about me: I'm not the most social person - don't get me wrong, I can be social, but there's nothing I enjoy more than sitting at home, playing the piano, guit...