When I first hiked the Pacific Crest Trail I was 26 years old. I graduated nursing school 1 year prior, and was working a dead end job that afforded me a 250 sq foot apartment in Tacoma. My apartment was in the basement- underneath a normal apartment building. I believe that they reserved this solitary basement apartment for the hopeless cases- for the saddest of all sad sacks. The ceiling was 5 feet tall. It had massive, dripping, pipes that constantly knocked, and a tiny porthole window that let in just enough natural light to stay sane.

I first heard about the Pacific Crest Trail during a difficult bout with mental illness. I lived vicariously through blogs, travel books, and trail journals that detailed others experiences on the trail. Hiking the PCT did not seem like a possibility to me at the time- I struggled to leave the house, let alone complete a multi month adventure journey. Yet the PCT still existed as a beacon to a different life.

At my lowest, I embarked on an endeavor to get well, which I called “fear training.”I began to do things that challenged me. Baby steps at first- enroll in online college, try to do light exercise. And then larger steps- apply for a student government position at my college(PUBLIC SPEAKING), participate in a social group, graduate nursing school. I felt like I had a future again. What had previously felt unattainable to me, now seemed like a possibility. The PCT represented the most intense extension of fear training I could imagine, and if I could complete it it would prove to myself that I was finally done with what was a horrible period of my life.

With little tying me to home, I showed up at the Mexican border, and walked north for 4 months until I made it to Canada. I walked every step of the trail, growing increasingly confident with every mile that passed. The experience spurred a sea change in my life.

Now, 11 years later, I will be approaching the trail much differently. I leave behind a beautiful little homestead my partner Amber and I have created. We will miss spring planting, the bloom of our apple trees, the clucks of our chickens, and the buzz of our bees. I leave behind a job, working for the Nisqually Tribe, that I value very much. I will miss the fulfilling work I do, my connection with patients in the clinic, and my wonderful group of coworkers. I am endlessly thankful for the slack my coworkers will have to pick up while I am away, and for my managers who graciously allowed me to take an extended leave of absence. We leave behind our friends and family who have all graciously worked together to help assist us in this journey and our watchful little farm dog.

We have a lot we will miss, and a lot to feel thankful for. In two days we start hiking. We hope this blog can help share our experiences over the next 4.5 months of hiking.