Day 0: April 18, 2022 It’s happening. Today I am flying to San Diego, and tomorrow I begin hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. This morning Katie drives me to the Oakland airport, where my flight is delayed, then delayed again. I eat a breakfast sandwich and focus on finishing my book so that I don’t …
Saturday, April 16, 2022 Katie makes us a divine breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, and Boudin sourdough toast. We take it easy this morning since we all had a pretty big day yesterday. I’m savoring the taste of real food and the sensation of not having to move in the morning for the rest of …
Continue reading Days 3 and 4 in California: Good Food, Fun Places, and a Happy Easter!
It’s fairly easy for me to wake up this morning, which is probably due to a combination of the time difference and the deep, deathlike sleep I had last night. I think I’m still recovering from the longer-than-expected travel experience yesterday. Calla lilies spotted on my morning walk I start the day by walking to …
It’s 2:15 AM when I finally land in Oakland. The flight was delayed, and it lands two hours late. When the wheels hit the tarmac, I wake with a start. California! I’m in California again! I get my bag at the baggage claim and call a Lyft. I think I’m going to pass right out …
Hikers love talking about gear. I think the only thing we might love more than talking about gear is buying new gear. Believe me, I understand the impulse to purchase a whole new kit before another thru-hike. It's exciting to look back on past hikes and to tinker with the setup, upgrade items to newer …
Continue reading Why I’m Not Buying a Ton of New Gear for the PCT
We slept in today, which was magical because I didn't get much rest the night before last. It was around 9:45 before I finally got up, and once again, I went coffee-less and food-less until we drove to a bakery called Brake Bread (because they deliver bread and baked goods on bikes, get it? Get …
Continue reading Minnesota, Day 3: Saturday, February 26, 2022
It was 3 degrees this morning. Frosty! I am very proud of how I got up before 7 and survived without coffee for a whole half an hour before we stopped at The Baker's Wife pastry shop for breakfast sandwiches, pastries, and coffee, all of which were delicious. As a bonus, they had a very …
Continue reading Minnesota, Day 2: Friday, February 25, 2022
I’m in Minnesota! And it’s cold. Extremely cold. I wouldn’t be visiting this place this time of year if it weren’t for KG, one of my two original tramily members from the Appalachian Trail, living here. But there’s also something magical about this kind of snowy fridigness. People just deal with it, and no one …
Continue reading Minnesota, Day 1: Thursday, February 24, 2022
There's a saying in the thru-hiker community: Either you do one of the Triple Crown trails, or you do all three. I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2019, nearly three years ago. This year, I am embarking on the second trail of my eventual Triple Crown. I am officially thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in …
Continue reading I’m Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2022!
I've been distracted recently. I suppose in a way, everyone has been distracted recently, but I really feel all over the place. I'm normally very goal-directed, and I have, for the most part, always known what I wanted. It feels like I'm losing that, though, and I don't like the feeling. A friend recently asked …
Passport Somewhere 