To borrow a loose definition from the Pacific Crest Trail Association, a long distance hike is any trek exceeding 400 walking miles. Something I find most striking about the preparation for this, my second long distance hike, is how vastly different the preparatory experiences have been so far. Some differences are more obvious, like mileage. My last hike was 1,500 miles long, while this hike is slightly shorter at 1,200 miles. Conditions are wildly different between the two hikes as well. 2015 was a dry year, meaning the total snow pack for the year in the Sierras was far less than normal. This meant long, waterless stretches of trail in the desert, and so in that year, heat and dehydration were constant concerns. This year the Sierras got hammered. This is great news for on-trail water availability and, incidentally, the state of California which has been suffering from a drought the past several years. However, residual snow pack on the trail might pose a problem.
My pack is different this time as well. It’s blue now, and weighs a lot less. For my full gear list (and comparison between years!) go here: http://carowack.blogspot.com/p/2017-pct-hike-orwa.html
Some of the differences are more intimate, emotional, and personal. Last time, the biggest thing I remember about planning the trek was fear. I had no idea what to expect, and as a result I sat stewing around in my own anxiety for months trying to reason out all the unknowns and what-ifs. This year, I know what it feels like to be on trail. I know how I will handle hard moments, scary moments, moments that ask you to adapt quickly. I also know what I like when I’m on trail now! I know I don’t like wearing very much clothing for one thing. Sports bra and running shorts was plenty enough for me by the time I reached Northern Cali last time, regardless of the sun or even cold sometimes. I know I like my pack to weigh less so that I can carry more food, and what kind of music I like to listen to on my headphones on a sucky day. I know how hard it is to clean my hands at the end of the day to take my contacts out, and how much easier it is to wear glasses. I know I do not like processed dehydrated meals such as Knorr’s or Rice-A-Roni. They make me sick and as a result I don’t each much and lose weight rapidly. In effort to counter this problem (because these are the most readily available thru hiker-friendly food in grocery stores along the trail) I have now discovered a whole new pre-trail stressor: maildrop organization. Last time I rarely concerned myself with food drops along the trail. My wonderful mother and amazing friends often sent me treats and goodies with my paper map copies, but that was about it usually. When I decided I was going to go back to the trail a few months ago, I started dehydrating frozen packages of vegetables and canned chicken like my life depended on it. My plan is to add plain veggies and chicken to all of my meals to add nutrient density. I learned how to make little packets of seasonings that I like out of straws (works great for salt, chia seeds, and Siracha, here’s the link! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXSfPZP4nWo) I bought the flavors of Cliff bars, Honey Stinger waffles, and electrolyte tablets I like in bulk. But with all this prep, I also know how often I get cravings on trail for weird foods (Honey Mustard and Onion Pretzel Bits!!!) and I will still want to buy food in my town stops to accommodate those. Colloquially in hiker culture, this style of resupply for is referred to as “mixed,” consisting of both shipped food to specified drop spots and buying along the way.
There are other, more subtle differences that I have noticed too, still falling under the umbrella of all the things I learned from my first trek. The one I am most proud of is my unshakable faith that things will work out for the best, the way they are meant to. My itinerary changes last minute? Alright, not a problem! I’ll make it work. A friend is hiking on the trail this summer but is doing a different section that doesn’t overlap with mine? No biggie! The trail provides, we will hike our own hikes and trust that we’ll be reunited one way or another. This ability to have faith in the powers that be is one of the most valuable life lessons I could possibly have gleaned from the trail. It allows my life to be fluid and open, given to chance encounters and wonderful surprises. This faith pulled me across the country in my car without a plan. It helped me build a life for myself, all my own (but not without the help and council of many great friends and family members). Now, my faith helps me let go of something beautiful to go find the next beautiful thing, like leaping across a chasm to see the view on the other side. I know it will be beautiful no matter what. I just have to be brave enough to go there.
No comments:
Post a Comment