Washington Is A Babe. (But she’s also a bit of a biatch). My knees are in agony again. I thought I was doing pretty okay - I’ve been taking glucosamine (for joints), I’ve been stretching like four times a day, I’ve been taking more care of my body than I ever did coming northbound. I … Continue reading One Hundred Sixteen: 2,016.9km
I don’t know how it’s possible, but today was another 10/10. Which means I’m currently on a six day streak - that’s a record (not including the cold temps, because that’s just part of living in the mountains). I woke up having had not one, but three creepy Black Mirror-esque dreams, and decided promptly that … Continue reading One Hundred Fifteen: 1,991.9km
Right now, I’m super thankful to Jesus, because there’s no other way to explain how I’ve stayed so joyful all day. I’ve been on cloud nine since waking up. I’ve been singing and skipping and smiling at everyone who trudged miserably past on their northbound journey. We had a 10/10 morning: it feels like autumn … Continue reading One Hundred Fourteen: 1,970.9km
Who knew there were so many shades of green? Not me. Or at least, I haven’t seen so many so close together, all at once. We went from meadow to granite to woods to rainforest. Then back to woods, then riverbanks, then rainforest again. Each scene so different, and yet all one and the same: … Continue reading One Hundred Thirteen: 1,951.8km
I’ve heard over and over again that Washington is the most beautiful section of the Pacific Crest Trail. None of it actually hit home until I got here and realised people weren’t exaggerating. And now I feel like I’ve used up all of the adjectives on the Sierras that I should have saved for here. … Continue reading One Hundred Twelve: 1,928.4km
Even covered by smoke, Washington ... I'm lost for words. I don't even know how to describe the beauty of it - and I'm only two days in. Everything is 'deeper', somehow. Colours are more vivid. Greens are greener. Light is softer. Lakes are certainly colder, which is a surprise, coming from some of the … Continue reading One Hundred Eleven: 1,888.9km
Daunting? What was I thinking?! What was I worried about? Being back on trail feels like being back at home. Even in new shoes* (which I was semi-worried about after my La Sportiva debacle), I floated down the path like it was an afternoon stroll. No blisters yet. Cross your fingers with me, folks. Have … Continue reading One Hundred Ten: 1,874.8km
It’s daunting, camping at a trailhead again. Ten days ago, I had walked a total of 200 metres and decided I needed a break from trail. Only ten days, and yet it feels an age since I was in the backcountry, hiking. Ten days since I’ve blown up my Thermarest NeoAir mattress. Ten days since … Continue reading One Hundred Nine: TRAILHEAD
Seattle is all of the good things I've heard. Their coffee is on point. I'd even go as far as saying it's the best I've had since leaving my land of snobby coffee joints and proud baristas. Their seafood rivals Australia's. Again, it might be a stretch, but honestly: I've never really enjoyed raw oysters. … Continue reading One Hundred Seven – Eight: SEATTLE
Even if I'm still not 100% sold on the idea of a PCT flip flop, I have to admit, this road trip has been a heck of a lot of fun! I wish I had snapped a picture of HBG as they pulled into the driveway to pick me up from Redding: having Pickleback, Jimminy … Continue reading One Hundred Six: TRAIL DAYS
Dreaming... What am I dreaming about? What am I dreaming for? What makes my heart come alive? What am I working towards? Staying with Matt and Kat Pratten has sent my mind down a rabbit hole. These guys aren’t just funny and kind and welcoming - they are challenging and discerning and inspiring. I met … Continue reading One Hundred Four – Five: REDDING
Seeing your true colours isn’t always pretty. I’ve just caught a bus from Reno to Sacramento, and have a three hour layover here before another bus that’ll get me to Redding. I had planned on visiting a cinema to watch Christopher Robin. Instead, a spur of the moment decision led me to open up my … Continue reading One Hundred Three: IN TRANSIT
Taking some time off has been a good call. I was fighting with myself so much last week, trying to make everything work. Instead of enjoying my time out here, I seem to have been on auto pilot. I was stressing myself out. I needed a break. I just didn’t want to admit it - … Continue reading One Hundred – Two: RENO
Well, I went two hundred metres today. And then J$, Pickleback and I sat on a flat rock, overlooked Donner Lake, shared coffee and breakfast, and I simply decided I was done with hiking for a while. I’m just kinda over it. A reset button needs to be pushed. I love living outside, I love … Continue reading Day Ninety Nine: 1856.2 – 1856.4km
What kind of story am I writing? When people read the pages of my life, and the chapter titled ‘Her Journey Along the Pacific Crest Trail’ in particular, will they scoff at how long it took me to complete? That it wasn’t a direct Mexico to Canada journey? Will they think it less of a … Continue reading Day Ninety Eight: 1834.1 – 1856.2km
Today is all about gratitude. Grateful that I get to eat choc chips for breakfast whenever i feel like it. Grateful for my parents. Grateful for this big old adventure. Grateful my feet have carried me this far. Grateful that I still have so many miles left. Did I mention already that I’m grateful for … Continue reading Day Ninety Seven: 1807.8 – 1834.1km
This is my friend Jimminy Cricket. If you’ve fast forwarded a few chapters, or you started with us back at the beginning, you’ll know her as Sarah. Jimminy - who also goes by J$ (J-Money) is my Australasian sister. She’s not just one of my peeps, she’s the Sam to my Frodo. Out of all … Continue reading Day Ninety Six: 1782.6 – 1807.8km
Mountain House Raspberry Crumble - it’s my still favourite of the dehydrated bougie* meals (never mind it being classed a ‘dessert’), even though I had scalding hot mixture dripping down my back this evening. Yeah. That happened. With these dehydrated meals, all you have to do is boil two cups of water, pour it into … Continue reading Day Ninety Five: 1768.2 – 1782.6km
Yesterday evening we got back to the trailhead, and I thought I needed a nap before dinner. I woke up from said ‘nap’ f o u r t e e n h o u r s later. I’m guessing it was kickback from all that happened Friday, as well as sharing our hostel room with … Continue reading Day Ninety Four: 1753.8 – 1768.2km
Thank you again to all who are praying for me around the world. Thank you for your encouragement and support. Thank you for the messages flooding in and reminders that I’m on track. Understandably, this weekend was not my average town stop. It was on the outside, of course. We had breakfast mimosas and went … Continue reading Day Ninety Two – Three: ZEROES
I’m not sure how to even put today into words. I’ve talked it out with a few key people, and I’ve replayed it in my head enough times: it’s not a problem of recollection. This time, I’m unsure how to adequately describe how my day unfolded, and I want to make sure I’m honouring and … Continue reading Day Ninety One: 1713.0 – 1753.8km
Lately, I’ve been seeing so many posts from friends along the PCT who have reached the midway point. Some of them started before me, some after, and all those I have seen on Facebook or Instagram are currently 500km ahead of where I’m sitting in my tent right now, typing this. Pickleback had a conversation … Continue reading Day Ninety: 1684.6 – 1713.0km
It felt good to hike today. It felt really good. It felt like I actually hiked, which is welcome - especially as I’ve felt so unmotivated to move recently. I think getting up early is my best bet. I hate the early mornings, but they do me good to set me up for the day. … Continue reading Day Eighty Nine: 1658.8 – 1684.6km
Ahhhh yes. Let’s just go ahead and acknowledge that we didn’t hike eight kilometres/five miles in total today. We’re just going to get that right out of the way. We can claim it for what it is - a fairly completely ridiculously short day, and instead of feeling guilty about that, embrace it! Yes! We … Continue reading Day Eighty Eight: 1650.9 – 1658.8km
Waking up with pillows under my head, a doona wrapped around me, sprawled across a fold out lounge and my friends in various beds close by was a flipping brilliant way to meet the day. I missed these guys. I know we were meant to get an early start and hike, but we had to … Continue reading Day Eighty Seven: 1636.6 – 1650.9km
I’m definitely absolutely not sold on it yet... But I’m maybe kind of a little bit coming around to the idea of a flip flop. It makes sense. I don’t love it, but it does. To be able to reach Canada straight through, I need big miles: like fifty kilometre day miles. Even with that, … Continue reading Day Eighty Six: ZERO
Mentally, and emotionally, this has been my hardest week on trail. I haven’t wanted to whine and moan - no one enjoys that - but it’s been a push. And we haven’t even been pushing too hard. I’m just thoroughly not enjoying it right now. Maybe because HBG is scattered along the trail instead of … Continue reading Day Eighty Five: 1619.8 – 1636.6km
At this point, I think we have to be honest: the Hiker Biker Gang is the vortex. It’s only Nemo and I right here, and yesterday we picked up Jeremy - who officially goes by Ratatouille now. Most of HBG is dispersed ahead of us, and a couple are who knows how far behind, and … Continue reading Day Eighty Four: 1608.7 – 1619.8km
Wondering out loud, I asked the PCT if our relationship was one of unrequited love. I give her my all, every day. Of course I get tired. There are ebbs and flows to my energy, to my attitude, to how I approach her. Such is the cyclic nature of life. But everything that I have, … Continue reading Day Eighty Three: 1576.7 – 1608.7km
I miss Cathleen Cowie. I think it was Carolyn (her beautiful sister) who told me once that grief comes in waves. Originally, they are tidal waves that you feel you’ll drown in. They batter you one after another, relentlessly, as you gasp and try to gulp in air with water raging all around. Eventually, there … Continue reading Day Eighty Two: 1558.7 – 1576.7km
