The Pacific Crest Trail
I suppose I should just come right out in the open and admit to not having finished the trail. Though, if you were a perceptive fellow you could have deduced that such an end to my summer adventure by my mentioning my early return in the previous post. Though, I would like to say for the record that I did not quit or give up, I merely changed my mind about whether or not hiking for 5 months was what I wanted to do. And technically I didn't outright stop. I was just taking a break for two weeks, while my dad finished up California (I had had enough of the state) and I was going to get back on the trail when he got to Oregon. But then when I was getting ready to get back on, he took a break because he was feeling pretty beat. The reason for that was that he had gotten Lyme Disease from a tick bite. So, that meant no more hiking for him, and I certainly wasn't going on by myself. (As a quick aside: I am a perfectly capable and knowledgeable person in the outdoors but ever ask me to do anything in the outdoors by myself and I go to pot. I hate being out in the wilderness alone. My mind gets the best of me.) Though, If I had known my dad was going to get Lyme Disease I would not not have gotten off when I did. I would have stuck it out a bit farther.
I officially made it 1,400 miles down the trail to Burney Falls Sate Park, which is a little bit past half way for the entire trail. I stopped two days shy of three months. All told I only went through one pair of hiking boots, a little over 100 snickers bars, three straps for my gaiters, about four or five blisters and over $120 in used phone cards.
Very often when I tell someone about the trail and that I got off, they ask something to the extent of "But it was great while you were on it, right?" Well, it seems to me that if I got off the trail maybe I wasn't having the time of my life. But really the most miserable part was just the last couple weeks. And looking back I don't regret having done any of it. My biggest mistake was that I didn't accurately anticipate what hiking for 2,700 miles would be like. I mean I thought about what it would be like. I told myself the different types of things that would be required, but I thought about it in a way where I didn't really put myself in the picture. Now, if anyone were to tell me they are thinking about doing the PCT I would advise them not too. You may think you like backpacking, but you probably haven't tried it as a life style. Go buy an RV. You'll have much more fun.
Well, I am going to stop talking about this now. The trail was fun while it lasted. I wouldn't do it again, though.
22 September 2004 12:21pm UTC • 490 views • 1 comment
Add a comment!
You must be a member to do that! Become a member or login!
Subscribe to the feeds:
1 comment
Robert
22 September 2004 07:15pm UTC
It's okay, I didn't get the motorcycle I said I was going to either.