A Little Farther

My second attempt at hiking the Pacific Crest Trail ended after about 220 miles. It was a better experience than last year. It seems that I couldn't figure out how to slow down and hike reasonable miles. In the first three weeks, the day before I left the trail, I hiked 24 miles. I wrecked my knee and could hardly walk in the next few days.

After 2oo miles in the desert and another bewildering 500 ahead of me, and many ailments related to the harsh and dry environment and my not being able to slow down, I decided that I was through with thru-hiking. Whether that's my permanent disposition remains to be seen.

I've learned many lessons during this hike that I would implement in another attempt if I have a change of mind in the coming years. I've found chapstick a must in the desert and sun gloves are much more comfortable than slathering on sunblock. My legs were cut up from everything with thorns overgrowing the trail, so pant would be nice, though I really like hiking in shorts. I carried a light weight collapsible cup for drinking Emergen-C, which seemed to pick me up a bit. The cup was impossible to clean though. Since being home I've learned that you can pop the powder into your mouth and then add water and mix. You don't get quite the pleasant Super Orange experience, but it works just as well.

Some things that worked really well included my Mont-Bell ankle gaiters, which really kept out the sand and grit that is everywhere in the desert from getting into your socks and grinding away at your feet. Also my Yurbuds, that fit over Apple earbuds and never seem to fall out. They also don't seal out all the sounds around me, including the furious rattler that I came across while listening to an audio book.

Since ending my hike, I've been working on improving my overall fitness, attempting to repair my knees with specific exercises and developing muscular balance. Is there another thru-hike in my future? Only if I'm feeling bullet proof... maybe.