2 Years: The Pacific Crest Trail

Yesterday came and went like any other day, yet somewhere buried in the back of my mind there was a simmering flame, a sort-of memory pilot-light that kept me smiling throughout the day.  Yesterday was the 23rd of August, the same day two years ago that I walked up to the Northern Terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail and finished what came to be the most difficult undertaking of my life.  I had pushed my way through endless miles of desert, snow, mountains, forests, and mosquitos so that I could see and absorb the beauty of the world.

And it worked.

As life-changing as my escapades on the Appalachian and Colorado Trails were, it was my thru-hike along the PCT that really opened my eyes.  I had incredible ups and downs, dealt with horrific river crossings, post-holed for hundreds of miles, and was brought to tears at the sight of the North Cascades.

I struggled for a long time with the decision on whether or not to attempt the PCT.  Unlike with the AT, I had many reasons to stay home.  I wavered daily on whether or not to commit, but in the end realized I knew of no other way to settle my uneasiness.  There were times, many in fact during my thru-hike, that I came ridiculously close to coming home.  I vividly remember an afternoon in a hotel room at Snoqualmie Pass where I simply did not want to be away from home any longer.  Yet somehow, I forced myself to go one more day....and then one more....and then one more....until 9 days later I was in Canada.

I am forever thankful and grateful for the experience that I was able to have, and for the good people I met along my walk.  I learned a lot about what is important, and what it means to live without regret.  I like to think that I've matured in this respect, but honestly sometimes I still feel like a kid when it comes to my wanderings.  Why is that so wrong though?  I'd prefer to have as few "I wish I would have's" in my golden years as possible.

I have no real profundities to pass along to any of you that may have happened across my site, other than to keep it simple and embrace your passions.  It's ok to take some risks.  They may not always come out positively, but who wants regrets for not trying?

I guess I will end this on that note.  I am extraordinarily happy with all of the magic and wonder I've been able to be a part of the past 5 years.  I just hope that whatever powers that be, might see it fit to let me be spoiled a little bit longer.

hike on everyone,

-j

“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism; all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” -McCandless


Free Music:
One last thing...I've finally posted my old 2006 music recordings on soundcloud for free (see link to right).  What little money I did make from iTunes was donated to the AHA, so for now I've decided to just post them for free.  Maybe one of these days I'll actually record the new song I wrote.