Paradise On The Ground

DAY 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111 - Idyllwild to campsite 238.4 km, to campsite 195.52km, to Warner Springs, to Third Gate, to campsite 101.92km, to campsite 57.76km to the Mexican Border! Idyllwild brought another angel into my life. Tiffany. I was so thrilled to have crossed paths with this woman. She is an incredible inspiration and possess a heart of pure gold. Tiffany was so unbelievably generous with opening her house up to me and sharing her space. We had endless conversation and shared our lives and truths. She has a wealth of PCT knowledge and is one of the hardest working women I have ever met. I am grateful for my time spent with her and connecting on a very truthful level. She's a special angel and I cannot thank her enough for allowing me into her life.

DAY 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94 - Tehachapi to some stealth camp spot along the LA aqua duct, to parking trail head, to Maxwell Road, to Casa De Luna, to Hiker Heaven Agua Dulce, to North Fork Ranger Station, to Foutainhead Spring, to Little Jimmy campground to Wrightwood. Sometimes things don't come full circle  Yes. I've been slack on the blogging. Mainly because of the boys being around, but moreso, exhaustion. We've been hiking in to the nights on some days and it just gives me no time to journal. But I'll try to recall the days. It's been a crazy few!

DAY 44 & DAY 45 - Ashland to Etna to Campsite 1714km & campsite 1754.2km Driving in cars with the boys It's so great to be back on trail. Things just feel right out here. Simple. Complicated in other ways. It really puts in to perspective how stupidly crazy stressful we make our lives in city living. We all really need to slow the bloody hell down!!

DAY 42 & Day 43 & Zero day - Fish Lake to Grizzly Creek to Callahans Lodge to Ashland  I have officially been given my trail name! It's only taken 800 miles, but I wasn't settling for being named after condiments, food or something in my pack.  On the trail, you are given a trail name. A name that says something about you. It's a thru hiking tradition and something most people just pick up quite early on. 

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.

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.