On March 13th, 2020, I will begin hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington. This ongoing series is an attempt to document the entire journey from beginning to end. 

I am walking 2,650 miles to End Polio with Rotary International. Support my journey!

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Preparing for the First Overnight

It has been several years since I found myself sleeping underneath the stars on an overnight hiking trip. Now, I find myself preparing for my first overnight camping trip in Yosemite and my first with all the gear I intend to use on the Pacific Crest Trail. With everything I think I will need laying before me, I am filled with confidence, anxiety, and pride. Confidence because what is before me has been meticulously researched. Anxiety because this world is still so new to me. Pride because I set my mind to something and before me are the fruits of my labor.

Traded

With my first trip to Yosemite in the rearview mirror, I decided to trade in my tent for something lighter and more compact. I have also decided to get a different sleeping pad. I loved the items I bought, but field testing revealed some complications. With the tent, I needed to shave some weight. With the sleeping pad, I needed something thicker. Being a side sleeper, all I felt all night long was the ground. Pretty quickly, I realized I couldn’t sleep like that for six months straight.

Fully Loaded Pack

With a fully loaded pack, I found I don’t move as fast as with my day pack, inclines are a bit more challenging than expected, and I need some lessons on properly packing this beast. I believe the first two realizations will be solved by time and resolve. The third challenge will take some practice. Luckily for me, the world is filled with resources on properly packing a bag for maximum comfort and use of space.

I Quit My Job

Hey! I quit my job! You know that thing I had been doing only because it was going to deliver me to the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail? Needing to walk away from an unethical situation, I made an impossible decision and quit without much of a plan. Doing so filled me with fear and anxiety. Naturally, I am fearful of how the decision may jeopardize my hike. In the end, I had to do what was right for me and my career. I had to trust my talents will be recognized and people will respond to a fellow nonprofit employee in need.

March 13th

For two years, April 13th has been circled in red on my calendar. Ideally, this is when we hoped to start our hike, but the PCT lottery gods had a different idea. Now, we find ourselves starting a month earlier than intended. As I think on this new date, I am consumed with thoughts about weather, snow, river crossings, finances, and more. It feels like all of our plans will need to be thought through again. A mere 30-days has changed this entire trip for us.

Be good to each other,

Nathan

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