How to decide...

For some, making the choice to complete the Pacific Crest Trail is a way to leave an old life behind. It's about a commitment to change. Some want to depart from the cooperate world, others want to realize their strength. For me, it's not a new beginning, it's continuing on my current path.

After graduating college, I worked on Kauai, then completed residencies in Canada, traveled to South Africa, went to Colorado, completed the Tuscurora Trail, worked and hiked and climbed in Colorado, climbed in Utah, climbed and hiked in Wyoming, road tripped through Montana up to Minnesota, kayaked and fished in Minnesota, climbed in Michigan, and now I'm saving up money for next year. It has been a life I have loved for a year and a half. 

I had considered thru hiking before, but always thought about how hard it must be on your body and how different a month long trip is from a 5 month long trip. I thought I would be able to get more exploring done by not thru hiking. How this changed is probably very revealing. I was sick with a stomach bug one night this week and was watching anything to do with climbing/mountaineering on Netflix and then I saw Ride the Divide pop-up in my suggestions. My brother is mountain biker and had talked to me about it before. I watched it and then did some research on the Continental Divide Trail. An ad came up on the top of my google search for "Hike for Mental Health : Thruhikers needed 2014." My uncle suffers from schizophenia so I was curious and I clicked on it. The website got my cogs turning and next thing you know I'm printing out maps and planning resupply points. 

I have a tendency to be a bit bullheaded; I decide something and move forward full force, but this time I'm trying to be a bit more cautious. I'm planning and reading, giving myself a couple weeks before I truly decide whether to do it full force. 

While looking around, there are some great sources for what to do on the trail. I will hopefully cover that in this blog as well, but I sense that where information is lacking is what to do and the mental battles that happen before you break dirt on the Pacific Crest Trail. I will try and help others through this section as I'm sure there are many who are in that "on the fence" stage for the 2014 season. 

Look at my Hike for Mental Health profile page.