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
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
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
I’m currently having one of those serendipitous days, where I keep meeting the exact people I need to. This morning, it was Northcut. He’s an American fella out here on his first ever backpacking trip with two guys he used to work with (Scott and Paul). Far out, I’ve got to give it all the … Continue reading Day Eighty One: 1538.8 – 1558.7km
I can’t seem to find the right words, but my heart is ... wrong. It’s off balance. Restless. Anxious. Out of sorts. Lonely. Detached. I know something is wrong, but I can’t put my finger on what exactly it is, or why, or where the root of it - whatever ‘it’ is - lies. I … Continue reading Day Eighty: 1516.9 – 1538.8km
I walked to Yosemite National Park. Yosemite. This is the go-to background for Apple computers and phones. It’s not hard to see why. Sunrise felt just a tad too early for summit whisky, so we shared summit coffee instead. Twice. (We had to make a second pot; it just felt right this morning). I had … Continue reading Day Seventy Six: 1485.5 – 1514.1km
I’m craving some human touch today. I want a hug. I’m not feeling down or entirely lonely. Nothing’s really wrong, and I’ve got the best gang by my side - I think I just need a big hug. Have you heard of The Five Love Languages? It’s a concept that we all feel love and … Continue reading Day Seventy Five: 1466.1 – 1485.5km
Yesterday was the first time I’ve fallen down on trail. It was a solid one too: I was as good as a turtle, splayed out in the dirt. Only a few scrapes and bruises that have made themselves known today to show for it, but it happened. So I just wanted to admit that I … Continue reading Day Seventy Four: 1459.1 – 1466.1km
My alarm went off at 6AM. I deflated my mattress like a good hiker girl, and replied to a few messages I’d received overnight. No one stirred, but I figured it was only a matter of time before the camp started moving, so I went all out and cooked up a dehydrated egg and bacon … Continue reading Day Seventy Two: 1416.2 – 1431.1km
After spending a full zero day beside this stunner of a lake and having a campfire going for just about all of our waking hours here (with the exception of the intermittent downpours), I knew motivating myself to keep on walking would be an issue. So I gave myself a little dose of discipline: woke … Continue reading Day Seventy One: 1390.3 – 1416.2km
The unthinkable has happened. We’re zeroing again. At this point, I don’t even know how it keeps happening. The Sierras are a vortex of their own! Maybe this is why people quit in Northern California... because it’s going to be so hard to start pushing out those 25-30mile days after averaging nine miles a day. … Continue reading Day Seventy: ZERO
Obviously, the Hiker Biker Gang aka. River Bandits had to have a communal breakfast to start the day. It also made sense - seeing as we’re already here - to have one last quick look-see at the hiker boxes at the Muir Trail Ranch. There were fresh (albeit dirty) faces as more people had rocked … Continue reading Day Sixty Nine: 1380.4 – 1390.3km
You can now call us the River Bandits, as well as Hiker Biker Gang. Today we looted, and came up with a lot of treasure. We hadn’t thought it would end up a zero, but it was. And it was a productive day for our gang. I made a pot of communal coffee at 7AM … Continue reading Day Sixty Eight: ZERO
It’s good to be back. After so much time off, I was dreading walking again. I was more than a little worried about Kearsarge Pass - although beautiful, it is a crazy climb. We’d just resupplied as well, so loaded down with a weeks’ worth of food and staring up at a four hour climb … Continue reading Day Sixty Two: 1269.9 (+ 12.2km)
I’m almost embarrassed even to write it... We’re still in town. BUT I PROMISE WE LEAVE TOMORROW MORNING! It’s just - it’s Fourth of July. Which, yes, means we’re on our fourth zero, but it’s the Fourth of July! This basically doesn’t count. We needed the first zero for rest, the second for resupply, then … Continue reading Days Fifty Eight – Sixty One: ZEROES
‘The Great Bishop Shakedown’ It’s all I can think about, as we go up and up and up today. My mind has been made, and Jefé and Pickleback are right on board (as is everyone else): we’re going to give me a nice big shakedown. Like, a really nice big shakedown. I can feel all … Continue reading Day Fifty Four: 1212.9 – 1234.4km
My 5AM alarm was much nicer than yesterday’s 2AM one, and after sleeping soundly, I set off pretty quickly. As the sun started to rise, I stopped for a moment to soak the moment in. What a difference six minutes makes! Just imagine how much a few hours does! This is why I try and … Continue reading Day Forty: 870.6 – 898.9km
I once drove out to the Devil’s Marbles with a man I loved deeply and thought was just about the closet thing to a soulmate I’d find. In a way, the end of my journey alongside him sparked the beginning of the journey I’m now on. He’s a great man, and I have no big … Continue reading Day Eleven: 231.8 – 252.6km
Time moves differently on the Pacific Crest Trail. I’m fast learning to count kilometres (and miles) by how many minutes have passed, and it’s a sad equation. I still expect to move at the usual walking speed I have at home; I feel like I should be able to cover similar distances just as fast, … Continue reading Day Two: 24.7 – 47.9km
I had a love affair. I had a love affair with the Camino. It was passionate, it was deep, it was over too soon. Our time together was all too fleeting, but I gave my heart wholly and I will never quite get it back.I'm not sure I even want to. I learnt, I grew, … Continue reading India
My hands are shaking as I step onto the bus and hand the driver my money. My face gives nothing away, but my stomach is clenched and mouth dry. "Am I ready? I don't want to go back to the 'real world'. I don't want this to end." The world moves so fast. Have I really … Continue reading Finisterre > Santiago
The crack of a rifle shot. That was the first thing I heard as I left my albergue at 6:30AM. I had planned on leaving an hour earlier, but had slept through my alarm for the first time since I've been here. I'm glad I did. Another shot cut across the silence, this one closer … Continue reading Día Cuatro + 31
I can sense the change of gears clicking in. Tomorrow I reach Finisterre - the end of this world I have been living in. The day after, I press on just a little further for the heck of it. Then I catch a bus to Portugal. Surprisingly (or maybe not surprisingly), I have mixed emotions … Continue reading Día Tres + 31
I was already working out the wording of how I would write up this blog post without stressing Mum out too much. "Tonight was the first night I slept outdoors..." Nope, I'm sure she still would have freaked (as would Karen and a few others, I'm sure). I wasn't too keen on the idea myself. … Continue reading Día Dos + 31
I know this is late. I tried writing it a few times over already but just can't get the story to sound right, and then my days continue on and it all snowballs and I still haven't written and ohmygoodnesswheredoIevenstart. So this will be a quick one I think.. Keep it simple instead Naomi Joy. … Continue reading Día Veintiocho / Day Twenty Eight
I just met Mary. She's another one of my angels, and she doesn't even know it. As I write this, it's just after 11AM, and I've been walking with Domenico, sorting out our pride. So much for all the 'personal/spiritual growth' we've had so far! We started out from Sarria with hoards of people. So … Continue reading Día Veintisiete / Day Twenty Seven
Three hours. I sat in a cafe for three hours Becka. I told you I'd give you a buzz for your birthday, I found a place with semi-decent wifi, I sat down and called you at your 6:00PM. And again, and again. And again. Three hours. I am glad you had a good party though! … Continue reading Día Veintiséis / Day Twenty Six
I love you. I'll start right there. Every message, quick facetime call, comment, email... I know how busy the real world is; how easy it is to get caught up in another day; to say to yourself, "I'll send her that message later" and then not get around to it 'till the next day, or … Continue reading Día Veinticinco / Day Twenty Five
Yes, that is a watermelon in my bag. Technically half a watermelon. I bought it last night for after our broccoli miso soup but we forgot to eat it, and stubbornness took over this morning: no way was I leaving it behind. So what if watermelons are 'heavy'? Genius, Naomi. You are a genius. I'm … Continue reading Día Veinticuatro / Day Twenty Four
No head bopping to the guy next to me this morning; my bunk bed was up against a wall, which I sincerely appreciated. And that "I'm a grown woman" statement? Not entirely true. We had chocolate ice cream for breakfast. We'd bought a kilo worth of that Vienetta ice cream cake roll thingy for after … Continue reading Día Veintitres / Day Twenty Three
