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Being Joyous

– An Ordinary Wizard Girl on an Extraordinary Adventure –

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Tag: solo

One Hundred Three: IN TRANSIT

August 16, 2018January 23, 20195 Comments

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

One Hundred – Two: RENO

August 15, 2018January 23, 20193 Comments

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

Day Ninety Four: 1753.8 – 1768.2km

August 7, 2018January 19, 2019Leave a comment

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

Day Ninety Two – Three: ZEROES

August 6, 2018January 19, 20191 Comment

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

Day Ninety One: 1713.0 – 1753.8km

August 4, 2018January 19, 20193 Comments

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

Day Ninety: 1684.6 – 1713.0km

August 3, 2018January 19, 2019Leave a comment

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

Day Eighty Nine: 1658.8 – 1684.6km

August 2, 2018January 19, 2019Leave a comment

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

Day Eighty Eight: 1650.9 – 1658.8km

August 1, 2018January 19, 2019Leave a comment

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

Day Eighty Seven: 1636.6 – 1650.9km

July 31, 2018January 19, 20192 Comments

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

Day Eighty Six: ZERO

July 30, 2018January 19, 20191 Comment

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

Day Eighty Five: 1619.8 – 1636.6km

July 29, 2018January 19, 20192 Comments

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

Day Eighty Four: 1608.7 – 1619.8km

July 28, 2018January 19, 2019Leave a comment

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

Day Eighty Three: 1576.7 – 1608.7km

July 27, 2018January 19, 20191 Comment

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

Day Eighty Two: 1558.7 – 1576.7km

July 26, 2018January 19, 20193 Comments

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

Day Eighty One: 1538.8 – 1558.7km

July 25, 2018January 19, 20196 Comments

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

Day Eighty: 1516.9 – 1538.8km

July 24, 2018January 19, 20192 Comments

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

Day Seventy Seven – Nine: YOSEMITE

July 23, 2018January 19, 20191 Comment

Man. Yosemite. And fires. Have I forgotten to mention there are fires? HOW have I forgotten to mention there are fires? WE CAN’T EVEN SEE YOSEMITE. The smoke is crazy - it burns my eyes every morning I climb out of my tent, and my throat is scratchy all day. If I smoked cigarettes, I … Continue reading Day Seventy Seven – Nine: YOSEMITE

Day Seventy Six: 1485.5 – 1514.1km

July 20, 2018January 19, 20194 Comments

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

Day Seventy Five: 1466.1 – 1485.5km

July 19, 2018January 19, 20192 Comments

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

Day Seventy Four: 1459.1 – 1466.1km

July 18, 2018January 19, 20192 Comments

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

Day Seventy Three: 1431.1 – 1459.1km

July 17, 2018January 19, 2019Leave a comment

I know I’ve said it before. I’ve probably said it plenty! I just can’t get enough of the Sierras: The crystal clear lakes. The vibrant green grass. The miles we keep chipping away at. The granite mountains that surround us, protect us, mystify us, beckon us. Has it really been 900 miles of trail already? … Continue reading Day Seventy Three: 1431.1 – 1459.1km

Day Seventy Two: 1416.2 – 1431.1km

July 16, 2018January 19, 2019Leave a comment

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

Day Seventy One: 1390.3 – 1416.2km

July 15, 2018January 19, 20192 Comments

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

Day Seventy: ZERO

July 14, 2018January 19, 20192 Comments

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

Day Sixty Nine: 1380.4 – 1390.3km

July 13, 2018January 19, 2019Leave a comment

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

Day Sixty Eight: ZERO

July 12, 2018January 19, 20192 Comments

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

Day Sixty Seven: 1356.7 – 1380.4km

July 11, 2018January 19, 20191 Comment

We watched the sun rise. We crossed creeks. We passed by lakes. We met a trail cat. We walked some more. We napped. We walked again. We crossed rivers by bridge. We crossed rivers by foot. We set up camp in a field, soaked right up next to each other in teensy hot springs - … Continue reading Day Sixty Seven: 1356.7 – 1380.4km

Day Sixty Six: 1329.8 – 1356.7km

July 10, 2018January 19, 20192 Comments

If I rated days out of 10, I’d probably be averaging around an 8.5. There’s be a few 3’s in there, definitely a lot more 9’s and a handful to 10’s already - today being a stand out 10/10. I woke up happy. It’s the best way to wake up. Pickleback waved me off with … Continue reading Day Sixty Six: 1329.8 – 1356.7km

Day Sixty Five: 1307.7 – 1329.8km

July 9, 2018January 19, 20195 Comments

I just about got into a fist fight with Jimminy Cricket today. She thought the Golden Stairs were overrated. Okay no fists. We’re still friends. But our words were passionate, and opposing. I had been having a moment of such pure gratitude as I walked down those stairs into the pine forest that I thought, … Continue reading Day Sixty Five: 1307.7 – 1329.8km

Day Sixty Four: 1287.2 – 1306.7km

July 8, 2018January 19, 20191 Comment

“Bear! BEAR! THAT’S A BEAR! THERE’S A BEAR!” I had been having a quiet morning conversation with Nemo as we all slowly woke up, but I jumped up so flipping fast - barely stopping to pull on my shoes as I ran towards the flash of brown I’d just seen. “Wizard WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! … Continue reading Day Sixty Four: 1287.2 – 1306.7km

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