Imagine yourself waiting in line. A very long, slow moving line. You are not close to the front, nor near the rear. As time passes, conversation breaks out in small groups along the line. As the line moves forward, the groups move forward. In hiking terms, that’s known as a bubble. You end up leap […]
Snoqualmie to Trout Lake
Day 28 / Mile 437.9 When I refreshed my Blog, to provide deeper insight to the Trail, I had no idea of it’s foreshadowing. On Friday, about 7 miles out of town, I rolled my left ankle. It was on a descending, soft, smooth trail surface. It happened so fast…in a split second. Nothing smooth […]
Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie
Days 13-17 / Mile 259.5 Washington State…mostly done! For clarity, that’s an old family joke meaning you are just past halfway. Still, it’s hundreds of miles, thousands of steps, and weeks of stress applied to my body. So, how am I holding up? I feel great! Besides your average aches, I have no chronic or […]
Stehekin, WA to Stevens Pass, WA
Days 6-12 / Mile 188.4 Stehekin is such a chill and relaxing place. It is accessible by foot, boat, or sea plane. Besides cold beer, good food, and some great company, the people watching was entertaining. Definitely two crowds…tourists and hikers. I noticed quite a few hurting hikers. Lots of sports tape, ankle and knee […]
Canadian Border to Stehekin, WA
Days 1-5 / Mile 80.7 Undertaking an adventure such as the PCT requires a good deal of planning. Despite my best efforts, my hike didn’t start as envisioned. Several unexpected, large issues arose days before departure. Knowing that a positive headspace is needed to focus on Trail, I did what I could to deal with […]
There’s a New Story to Tell
In eight days, at the northern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail, I will touch the Canadian border, take a deep breathe, and start hiking South. My goal…the Mexican border…a mere 2,650 miles. Three states, three hundred thousand vertical feet, countless vistas, and a long stretch of desert lie in between. Why? That’s a good […]
STOP
My background is in aviation. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with aircraft and flight. I followed my passion and enjoyed a wonderful career with a commercial airline. Besides earning a living and traveling the world, I’ve taken several ideas from aviation and adopted them into my life…checklists and acronyms. Most […]
No Excuses
You ever have one of those days where you don’t feel like doing whatever it is you’re supposed to do? It happens to me…likely too often. Urgency, planning, or deadlines are sometimes not even enough to push me to “git r done”. The easy way is to find or make up an excuse. Our minds […]
Daily Affirmations
Long distance hiking can be quite monotonous. Each day being the same…eat, walk, sleep…repeat. Daily hiker life and chores become routine. While the body seems to adapt, the mind is another matter. Our brains don’t like monotony. It can quickly lead to boredom, frustration, depression, or just a general poor attitude. On trail, attention to […]
POV & Sense of Adventure
Do you ever wonder why it seems that other people are having all the fun? That used to be me. As I looked out from the tiny window of my comfort zone, I’d wonder how these folks got to be so lucky. Don’t they have responsibilities? Shouldn’t they being doing something more constructive with their […]