Blog Archive

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Tooth Powder

   During my gear shopping I have been on the lookout for tooth powder to replace the heavier and bulkier toothpaste. So far I have not seen any, and I was resigning myself to a dedicated trip to a specialty health food shop when I realized I could probably make my own. A quick internet search confirmed this belief, and I set about making a batch on my lunch break.


ATTEMPT #1
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon salt


   After gagging on the overwhelming amount of salt in my concoction I thought that perhaps toothpaste was worth the weight. Then something strange happened. As I was walking back to work I noticed that my mouth felt cleaner than days when I brushed with regular toothpaste. in fact, my mouth felt so clean that I decided to give it another shot.


ATTEMPT #2
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves


   Much better, though still a bit too salty and spicy. However, the extra flavors were worth adding, and I read somewhere that cinnamon helps fight bacteria while clove eases tooth sensitivity.


ATTEMPT #3
2 tablespoons baking soda
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves


   Success? I wasn't in love with the flavor, but it wasn't unbearable either. I still had a fresh feeling, and the mixture is lighter than toothpaste. I think I'll stick with it!

Preliminary Weigh-In (a.k.a. Reality Check)

   I had, as you will remember from the last post, a goal for my base weight. That goal, as of last night, is now completely out the window. My goal was a base weight of 15 pounds, which was foolishly inspired by some of the ultralight hikers on postholer.com's sample gear page. Imagine my surprise, then, when my pack weighed in at 25.8 pounds! And to make matters worse, that still does not include the snow gaiters, cash and documents, a bandana, and the phone, none of which I have gotten together yet.

   After having a minor panic attack I looked on the bright side. In fairness, this is a skin-out weight, meaning it includes the clothing I will be wearing (which some hikers don't even include in their base weight). It also includes items that I will be using for small sections of the trail and then sending home. Most notably this would be the bear canister, required in parts of the Sierras, and the ice axe for early on in the high Sierras. These two items alone represent 2.6 pounds, which leaves a base weight of 23.2 pounds after they are factored out. Add in the items that have yet to be rounded up and I am at about 24.5 pounds. I had to remind myself that on solo trips in the past I have grow accustomed to hauling 40 to 45 pounds for a 5 or 6 day trip.

   I spent the evening re-evaluating my gear and making cuts where possible. I reduced my med kit and duct tape supply by half, figuring on supplementing with resupply boxes or buying in towns. I also removed my lighter, deciding to rely solely on matches, took out the thermal shirt (which was bulky, heavy, and ultimately not necessary) and eliminated the foldable bucket. This last piece of gear was really a luxury item anyway, and probably won't be missed. I also removed the stuff sack from the cookpot, and cut some extra holes in the water shoes. There are also some weight reduction measure that I haven't taken yet, mostly regarding my pack. I had planned on cutting excess straps and gutting the lid/waist pack. I haven't done this yet because I am loathe to permanently reduce the functionality of the pack until I am absolutely sure this trip is a go. Even then, I am still debating the cost of a few ounces versus the flexibility I would have with the extra strapping.

   I haven't completed another weigh-in after all the reduction efforts I made. At this point I might as well wait until i have the last bits of gear on hand so as to be as accurate as possible. Hopefully, though, the base weight has been cut by another pound or so. That would leave me at an estimated 23.5 pound final base weight. If I increase my max weight to 40 pounds, and reduce my daily meals to 2, I would still get 8 days between resupply points. I also went back to postholer.com and was comforted to realize that many people run in the high 20's for their base weight. Furthermore, many of the lighter base weights are the result of hikers filling in their weights incorrectly, failing to account for the weight of a large chunk of their gear, or from couples hiking the trail together and sharing gear.

   I took a random sampling of ten hikers and looked at their base weights, here are the results:

Weight:   11.0   12.2   13.8   16.1   16.7   20.1   23.0   26.2   28.2   29.2
Mean: 19.65
Median: 18.4
Standard Deviation: 6.36

Friday, January 27, 2012

Planning the Hike

   I read somewhere that the average PCT through-hiker spends something like 6 to 8 months planning the logistics of their trip. The planning takes longer than the hike itself! As for myself, I can't give an accurate estimation of how long my planning has taken me. I have flirted with the idea of hiking the PCt for years now, and have done research and planning in fits and starts. For the last three years i have intended to hike the trail, and have probably spent about a month each year in planning. Unfortunately something came up each time, leaving me with partial plans and rough outlines that got filed away for another year. Adding that time to the time I have spent this year in preparation, I would say I have spent around 5 months so far.


   Much of the planning process is extremely boring in my opinion. In fact, I am more worried about being underprepared due to lack of interest than I am worried about injuries or losing the will to continue once I am on the trail. Don't get me wrong, figuring out my gear list has been fun. I get to go to REI or various other sports outlets and just enjoy shopping for the latest and greatest in backpacking supplies (more on that later). Resupply, on the other hand, has been a struggle. It's difficult for me to get into the nitty gritty of planning things like food and resupply. As such, I won't go into a lot of detail here about that particular aspect of the hike (besides which i plan to keep a daily journal which will include my stops for resupply). The rough outline, at this point, is to carry no more than 15 pounds of base weight (gear), and no more than 4 pounds of food per day. I have set my maximum pack weight at 35 pounds, which means that (worst case scenario) I can carry my gear plus 5 days worth of food. Ideally the numbers I am using will prove to be on the conservative side. I am hoping to get my base weight down below 15 pounds, and my average daily food weight down to 3 pounds or less. I also hope to increase my estimated daily mileage beyond 20, and reduce my rest days to one every 10 days. However, for now I feel it is important to be conservative, so here are the conservative numbers first, followed by my goal numbers:


CONSERVATIVE
   35 pounds max minus 15 pounds base weight = 20 pounds available for food
   20 pounds of food divided by 4 pounds per day = 5 days before resupply is needed
   Average distance per day of no less than 20 miles = 100 miles between resupply
   2,650 miles divided by 100 mile increments = 27 resupply points needed
   2,650 miles divided by 20 miles per day = 133 days on the trail
   If I add one rest day for every 7 on the trail = 133 divided by 7 = 19 rest days
   133 days on the trail plus 19 rest days = 152 days total from start to finish


GOAL
   35 pounds max minus 13 pounds base weight = 22 pounds available for food
   22 pounds of food divided by 3 pounds per day = 7 days before resupply is needed
   Average distance per day of 22 miles = 154 miles between resupply
   2,650 miles divided by 154 mile increments = 18 resupply points needed
   2,650 miles divided by 22 miles per day = 121 days on the trail
   If I add one rest day for every 10 on the trail = 121 divided by 10 = 13 rest days
   121 days on the trail plus 13 rest days = 134 days total from start to finish


   It quickly becomes clear that cutting even a couple of pounds off of the base and total weights will make a huge difference in the overall outcome of the hike. By trimming down the base weight by 2 pounds I am able to carry more food and therefore resupply less frequently. Fewer resupply points translate into less stress in planning, fewer hikes/hitchhikes into town, less money spent on shipping, and more time enjoying the trail. With that in mind, let's have a look at gear, and the all the "philosophical" quandaries that go with it.


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Gram Weenie's vs. The Kitchen Sink


   There exists in the backpacking world, if not a debate, then certainly a lively conversation about pack weight. People talk about "base weight," "skin-out weight," and "total weight," as well as "ultralight," and recently even "ultra-heavy" backpacking. The difficulty is in choosing whether to reduce pack weight, thereby making the hike easier and more enjoyable, or to add on the pounds, thus allowing for more comfort in the rest of the experience.


   Ray Jardine is one of the prominent figures in the discourse, creating the "Ray-way," an entire system of ultralight and usually handmade gear. Using his books as a jumping off point, many people have gone to great lengths to shave off every ounce of unnecessary weight. These hikers remove labels, cut their toothbrushes in half, build their own stoves from soda cans, and eliminate tents in favor of homemade tarp shelters. In fact, their obsession with weight reduction has earned them the nickname "Gram Weenies."
  
   To balance out the gram weenies, I have also seen hikers with gear lists that include folding aluminum chairs, e-readers, stuffed animals, and luxuries like alcohol, books, or bulky SLR cameras. To these hikers the experience wouldn't be the same without a few select luxuries, and they are willing to bear a few extra pounds in order to enjoy them.


   I find myself, as with many issues in life, somewhere in the middle ground. I realize that the bulk of my experience will be on the trail, and given that fact, I would rather not spend it hunched over with an unweildy load to carry. With this in mind I see no harm in minimizing weight by cutting my toothbrush in half or by selecting gear that can pull double-duty. On the other hand, I also recognize that there are certain niceties that can vastly improve the spirits after a long day of camping. For example, the last thing I want to do after hiking 20 miles is to try to find a suitable spot to set up a tarp tent. I will gladly carry the extra pound in order to have a stand-alone tent that requires minimal finagling. Finally, it is important to recognize functionality, cost, and bulk in the final equation. Here is the resulting gear list, with some notations on special considerations, and on the weight saving approaches I will be taking:


The Big Three


o   Osprey Aether 70 Backpack - A bit on the heavy side, but I already own it and don't want to buy a new pack. Not to mention it is tried and true, and delivers a comfortable experience every time. To reduce weight, I will be cutting off any excess strapping and removing the padding from the detachable lid/fanny pack


o   Mountain Hardware Phantom Sleeping Bag - Super lightweight and compressible


o   Big Agnes Seedhouse Single Person Tent - Being an ultralight 3 season tent, this may be a bit of a challenge for the snowy sections, but I'll take my chances. I will be leaving all the tent stakes home, as they reresent a significant portion of the overall weight. I plan to improvise with rocks or gear when anchoring the tent becomes necessary. I also bought a compression sack to replace the stuff sack that comes with the tent, in order to save space


Tools, Accessories, and Miscellaneous Gear


o   REI Duck's Back 80L Pack Cover


o   Big Agnes Seedhouse Tent Footprint


o   Thermarest Z-Lite Sleeping Pad - The sleeping pad comes in two lengths, 51" and 72" and is the kind that folds like an accordion. I found that the 51" is too long to cover from my hips to my shoulders, where I really need it, but not long enough to fold in half for that same purpose. However, with the 72" mat, I was able to cut off two segments (6" each) to bring the total length to 60." this folds neatly in half to give me double the cushion, and it fits perfectly from hips to shoulders


o   Baladeo 22G Knife - This knife weighs in at 3/4 of an ounce. It allows me to have a 3" blade for slicing cheese or salami, while still saving weight


o   Parachute Cord - Lightweight and durable for hanging food sacks, securing the tent, hanging clothes to dry, repairing the pack, etc.


o   Coghlan's 30L Compression Bag - This was a question of weight vs. space. Strictly speaking, the stuff sack is not necessary. I bought it to store my extra clothes in, to provide an extra level of defense against moisture, to help with organization, and to reduce the space taken up by bulky clothing. Additionally, the stuff sack performs double-duty as a bag to hang food in when not using the bear canister. Ultimately this lightweight bag proved worthwhile


o   Petzl Tikka Headlamp - Works great for around camp or night hiking. The headband is adjustable and, since I don't anticipate my head adjusting or the elastic wearing out any time soon, I decided to cut out the plastic piece and excess headband to save a little weight


o   Permits, Credit Card, Driver's License, 2 Personal Checks, and $100 cash (one fifty, two twenties, and a ten)


o   Droid RAZR Maxx Smartphone with Otterbox Case- Ok, so I could write an entire post on choosing a means of communication. The original question was simply about how to keep in touch with friends and family while on the trail. My head was spinning by the time I considered everything: old fashioned letters, disposable cell phone, calling cards, SPOT Satellite Messenger, tablet computers, and smartphones. As I did research I began to be swayed by the advantages of cutting edge technology. I realized with a tablet or smartphone I could save maps and guidebooks on the device's internal memory, not to mention accessing email and updating blogs when I have service (I will be able to type out a blog each night, then copy and paste the text into a blog while in towns). The tablet option provided more convenience for typing and viewing maps, due to the size of the screen, which admittedly would be nice. However, the weight, size, expense, and ability to place phone calls eventually won the day for the smartphone. Next I had to decide which phone to go with. The Droid RAZR Maxx turned out to have the largest screen in the slimmest, lightest, and most durable package. The kevlar backing and Gorilla glass, along with a military-grade OtterBox and a carrying pouch to top it all off mean it can hopefully survive the rigors of the trail. Furthermore, the RAZR Maxx has an improved battery life. That last feature is crucial because I plan to use the smartphone to store maps, guide books in PDF format, music, etc. I have also decided, in a heart-wrenching decision, to leave my camera at home and rely on the phone for this as well (this saves the weight of camera, case, battery, memory cards, etc. and also makes uploading images much easier)


o   Motorola P893 Universal Power Pack Phone Charger - That's a mouthful. But despite the awful name, this tiny gadget will hopefully work wonders on extending my battery life for the RAZR. With approximately 5 to 8 days between towns, the RAZR will have to last longer than intended between charging. The plan is to charge both the phone and the power pack in towns. When the phone is close to dead, the power pack should be able to charge it back up to 3/4 battery. With a good 10 to 12 hours of usage time on a standard charge, that means I will have 17 to 21 hours of battery life between charges. that gives me 1.5 to 2 hours per day, more than enough for my purposes!


o   Black Diamond Raven Ice Axe - I'm still trying to figure out when to receive this in a resupply box and when I can ship it home again


o   Suunto MC-2 Pro Compass - It's been a while since I took an orienteering class. I used to have a pretty good mastery of the skills for archaeological site survey. I'll be brushing up on my skills prior to the trip, not that I plan on needing them much. Still, the compass is small and lightweight, and doubles as a mirror for hygiene. I did cut out most of the adjustable lanyard. It doesn't weigh much, but I also have zero use for it


o   Felt tip pen and three sheets of scratch paper - Sometimes you need to leave notes for other hikers, or jot something important down without powering on the phone


Health and Hygiene (Med Kit)


o   Aspririn, Codeine, and Vicodin - Combined into ziploc baggie to save weight and space


o   Bandages - Two or three of each size


o   Gauze Pads


o   Alcohol Swabs


o   Antibiotic Cream Packets


o   Mole Skin - I bought the kind that has pre-cut shapes so that I can leave the scissors at home


o   Sunscreen - Travel size


o   Anti-Itch Towelettes


o   Lip Balm


o   Needle and Thread - For gear repair or emergency stitches


o   Duct Tape - I cut about three yeards and rolled it up for use in gear repair, splinting, or as a back-up for mole skin


o   Toothbrush - I did end up cutting the handle in half. I still have plenty to grip and it fits easier into the med kit/saves weight


o   Tooth Power - Lighter and more compact than tooth paste. Some ultralight hikers argue for brushing with water and a finger. Others bring a full toothbrush and paste. Iwill be somewhere in the middle, using the brush with power one per per day, and brushing with water twice


o   Dental Floss - Removed from the plastic container


o   Listerine Strips - Ok, this is totally unnecessary, but fresh breath makes me feel more upbeat. Listerine makes little pocket containers of 24 breath strips. The size is miniscule and the weight next to nothing. Well worth it for me, plus I'll hopefully be less offensive when I hit a town


o   Fingernail Clippers


o   Toilet Paper - Removed from the roll


o   Q-Tips - For clean ears and/or cleaning up wounds


o   MSR PackTowel - This towel is ultralight and quick drying, plus it packs down small


Camp Kitchen


o   Titanium 2L Cookpot - I've had this so long I don't even know the brand name any more. I thought about bringing both of my nesting pots, but decided for weight purposes and simplicity I would plan only single pot meals


o   Esbit Stove - Stoves are another subject that I could drone on about, because they create so many headaches in the planning stages. You have to factor weight, size, burn time, efficiency, altitude, and resupply. For example, my Snowpeak Gigapower stove is tiny and weighs very little, but the canisters for it are expensive, harder to come by, bulky and heavy, don't perform well at altitude, and can only be shipped via ground. Making a mistake on how many canisters to ship to each resupply point means either eating cold meals or carrying extra weight. The Esbit stove weighs about the same, but uses Esbit tablets (dry fuel tablets that burn at about 1300 degrees). White gas is more common and cheaper, and canisters are more efficient. However, Esbit is lighter (I estimate I'll need 10 pounds for the entire trip!), cheaper, and much smaller should I end up carrying more than I need. I've experimented with the tablets and they are admittedly harder to light in heavy wind, but I can always switch it out if i change my mind later on


o   MSR XPD Heat Exchanger - This lightweight windscreen should help with the issues of lighting the Esbit tabs and burning them efficiently


o   Lighter and Book of Matches


o   Light My Fire Spork


o   Nalgene 16oz. Water Bottle - I love having a Nalgene bottle. They are sturdy and, when filled with hot water, can keep your feet warm all night. However, they are bulky and heavy. I compromised by getting a half-size bottle


o   Sea to Summit Foldable Bucket - I decided to bring this lightweight and compact bucket to hold water for bathing, dishes, or just as a place to store excess filtered water if needed. I did notice that the carrying case included a belt loop, a trend I have noticed on much of my gear. I guess manufacturers think that backpackers must have a Batman fetish. As for me, I removed mine to spare a bit of weight


o   Platypus GravityWorks Filtration System - Fill the dirty water reservoir, hang it up for a few minutes, the gravity filter does the rest. No more bulky or heavy than a traditional filter, but without the hard work and sore arms from pumping water for 20 minutes


o   Camelbak 3L Water Reservoir - Fits neatly into an inner pouch in my backpack, with a hose for easy access while hiking


o   Empty 2L Soda Bottle - Extra water storage for the desert section only, where water sources are fewer and further apart. I plan to get rid of the bottle once I hit the Sierras


o   BearVault BV450 Solo Bear Canister - Portions of the trail have enough bear activity to require a bear canister for food protection. The BV450 is the smallest and lightest option I have to meet this requirement. I will ship it to a resupply point in the Sierras and send it home again afterward


Clothing


o   Asics Gel Kahana Trail Running Shoes - Trail running shoes are my compromise for durability while hiking. Hiking boots are simply too heavy and rigid for my style of backpacking, and with the exception of snowy segments they wouldn't do me much good. I anticipate changing out my shoes twice on the trip, once in the Sierras and again somehwere in the Cascades


o   Crocstrap Shoes - I always made fun of Crocs because I think they look ridiculous. That said, I went looking for a comfortable shoe to double for stream crossings and as a camp shoe and this is it. It is rigid but comfortable, and though it is a bit bulky, the shoes weigh near nothing. Lot's of air holes means great ventilation, though I did cut a couple of pieces off for better ventilation and reduced weight

o   REI Merino Wool Hiking Socks (x2 pairs) - One pair for hiking, the other for camp


o   Salomon S-Lab Running Gaiters - These are small, lightweight, and designed to work with running shoes. They should be sufficient to keep out the snow in the high Sierra passes before being shipped home


o   Long Underwear Top and Bottom


o   REI Endeavor Convertible Pants - There are lighterweight pants out there, but these are durable and provide the flexibility to use as shorts or pants


o   Board Shorts - I have been hiking in board shorts for a few years now, once I realized how convenience they are. Mine are super lightweight, non-chafing, and dry quickly


o   REI Quick Drying Button-Up Shirt - I love these shirts for their ability to be worn completely unbuttoned on a warm day. Add to that the fact that they dry fast and weigh very little. Plus they layer a bit easier than T-shirts for the colder nights


o   Long Sleeve Thermal Shirt - Heavier than flannel, but warmer as well


o   Thin Fleece Jacket


o   Down Vest - My arms don't really get cold, so I save space and weight by going with a vest rather than a full jacket


o   REI Thermo-Convertible Mittens - As dorky as this may sound, this was one of my most exciting finds. Usually either the thumb is permanently covered, making the gloves awkward, or the thumb is permanantly exposed, causing cold. These mittens have a foldable thumb cover, making them the juuuust right


o   Scarf


o   Bandana


o   Wolverine Beanie


o   Marmot PreCip Rain Jacket


o   Marmot PreCip Shell Pants

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Making the Decision

   Pacific Crest Trail, huh? So you want to give up almost everything in your current life: the roof over your head, your car, the refrigerator full of food, a closet full of comfy clothes, television and internet, and all the daily routines to which you have grown so accustomed? Instead you want to strap on a backpack filled with the barest of necessities and head out on the trail for the next four to six months? You eagerly anticipate extreme temperatures, dirt and sweat, discomfort, loneliness, insects, hunger, blisters, and exhaustion - day in and day out? All this just to achieve something that most people have absolutely no desire to do...  


   Why?


   I've always felt that this was the most important of the interrogatives of journalism (or life in general). Sure the other four W's (and one H) all matter in their own ways, but "why" goes beyond simple logistics and demands answers that touch on everything from science to psychology; mathematics to metaphysics. "Why" is also an intensely personal question and is shaped, much as people are, by a combination of nature and nurture. With as many potential explanations as there are permutations of genetics and environment, the question is often the most difficult to answer in a way that is both comprehensive and relevant.


   As an example, take any simple hobby you may enjoy and try explaining why that particular pursuit speaks to you. It may be easy to say "I love to spend my free time sitting a recliner and reading a good Western novel." In one sentence you can convey the who (I), what (leisure/hobby), when (free time), where (recliner), and how (reading). But now ask the "why" and see how convoluted such a simple task becomes. Do you read because you enjoy the quiet time? Is it an exercise in stress relief - an escape from the pressures of everyday life? Do you live vicariously through the characters to break monotony and routine? Perhaps you are an armchair historian with a passion for the stories of the Old West? Or maybe you read them because your grandfather read them, and you like to feel a connection through a common activity? The answer could be one of these, or a million other possibilities, or it could be an intricate combination as unique as the person in question. Accordingly, just knowing yourself and your "why" is extremely difficult, and in many situations becomes the source of crises of identity.


   The question of why we do things is further complicated by the need to communicate our motives to others. Humans are social creatures, and much of what we perceive as meaningful is given credence, or at the very least context, through our interactions with others. However, there are three major hurtles that must be overcome before two or more people can share meaning. First, as already mentioned, the person doing the sharing must have a reasonable understanding of why they choose to do something. Second, they must be able to effectively communicate their choice to the receiver. Finally, the receiver must be able to reconcile that information with their own knowledge, experiences, and personal ideology. Some people just can't communicate because they lack the proper skills: they speak different languages, possess a different lexicon, or have such an ineffective communication style that they are blocked out before their message can ever be received. Other people share little or no common ground, and therefore are unable to create common meaning despite their efforts. Look at the comments section of an article on politics or religion and you will see a lot of noise and very little substance being shared.


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   When I talk to people about my decision to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, the first thing they usually want to know is "why?" After all, it is really the only question that they cannot answer with a little research of their own, and also because it is the question that they know will generate the most interesting/controversial answer. Providing a satisfactory answer has been difficult, in part because I never stopped to ask myself why I wanted to do it (I just knew I did) and partly because very few people can understand and internalize the responses I do give. In preparation for the PCT, and in light of the fact that I am keeping friends and family updated via blog, I thought that now would be a great opportunity to explore some of my own motivating factors.


1. Nature
          Ever since I was a kid I had nature readily accessible. At the end of the street was a creek that always held new sights and secret areas to explore. When I got older I would go hiking in the hills surrounding Almaden Valley, or go for a run along one of the many trails nearby. Once I was introduced to backpacking I began to realize how invigorating it could be to extend these short forays into week-long adventures. After roughly 17 years of backpacking, heading out into nature has become an almost spiritual pilgrimage. I have yet to come home from a backpacking trip without having learned something about myself, and I have always wondered what insights I might have if I immersed myself in the wilderness for a longer period of time. The PCT represents an opportunity to see some awesome landscapes, to experience nature as an insider rather than as a temporary guest, and to see what insights might come as a result.


2. The Challenge
          I have been accused of undertaking the PCT purely for the bragging rights. Granted, the pride that I would feel at having completed such an arduous trek is a very real and motivating factor. However, bragging rights are nothing compared to the satisfaction of having faced a challenge and succeeded. As a former competitive runner, I am well versed in personal challenges, though I have never undertaken one on such a large scale. I know that there is great reward in pushing myself to the limits day after day, just to see how far I can go. Even physical pain becomes a happy companion, because it is a reminder of the severity of the challenge against which I am still struggling successfully.


3. Psychology
          It has been my great fortune have traveled fairly extensively for someone my age. Of the many things I have learned from my travels, one of the foremost is that you never return from traveling the same person as when you left. I always gain perspective on other cultures, or a greater appreciation for my own. Small or large, the bits of wisdom yielded from these travels always seem to make me a better and more balanced person. I have difficulty in capturing all the ways that I hope hiking the PCT will help me psychologically, so I have included some quotes that I feel really hit the mark:


“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” - Bill Bryson


“Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” - Mark Jenkins


“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” - Cesare Pavese


“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain


“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” - Miriam Beard


“Not all those who wander are lost.” - J.R.R. Tolkien


“Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe" - Anatole France


“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.” - G.K. Chesterton


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   So now you know the "why." I have worked to recognize what motivates me in this decision, and taken care to communicate it to the best of my ability. Now it is up to you to read, interpret, and internalize.








The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;       

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,        

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.       

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
                                                                   
- Robert Frost