Its official!

A preface: I don't post on social media often. So posting a daily journal for anyone to read is going to be strange. *Here's to jumping out of my comfort zone!* I am doing this so I have a way to look back on my journey and remember ALL. THE. THINGS!! But also so my family knows I'm safe. I'm going to be writing about the good, bad, ugly, beautiful, people, smells, smelly people, elevation, fears, accomplishments, camp spots, weird experiences, sunsets, stars, animals, aches and pains and of course cheeseburgers in town. The list is endless. I know this is going to be an experience I will cherish and look back on for the rest of my life. All this to say, I am happy to have you join me for the ride but be warned, I am no writer. Expect run on sentences and grammatical errors.😉

With that out of the way, it's time to make an official announcement. I am hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2023!!! The PCT is a 2,650 mile trail that starts at the Mexico/California border and ends at the Washington/Canada border. Ive done many short backpacking trips that have intertwined with the PCT over the years. It's always sounded like a really cool thing to do. Last year I met a couple of PCT thru hikers on a backpacking trip and was instantly hooked.

All thru hikers say you need to figure out your 'why'. The highs are high but the lows are low. I know for a fact I will have days where I wonder why I am out there. And when the day comes I will read through my whys to remind me what got me out there in the first place. My why's are nothing super profound (yet) but they are special and mean something to me.

My Whys in no particular order:

1. Truly be in the moment. I am a planner and this year especially, flexibility and adaptation will be key.

2. "Nervous energy is a precursor to positive change." I want to lean into the discomfort, handle my fears and become a more confident human.

3. Mindset. So often my roadblocks are just a state of mind. When times are tough I want to challenge myself because I know I am capable of so much more.

4. To simply see how far I can go and how strong I can be. Each mile is the furthest I have ever hiked! My longest hike is only 50 miles!

5. Live with purpose and intention - all decisions made on trail are important.

6. I have one life. Live it. Do it while I can. Special thanks to Ian for holding down the fort, being really supportive of this crazy idea and taking care of my most precious possession, Riley. Making this dream a reality!

My start date is May 2, 2023. Here is to a wild and crazy adventure!

You can follow along on my journey by following my profile - I believe you will get an email notification for every new post!Read more