PCT | Let’s Get Personal
“Let’s Get Personal” is the outcome of a funny idea I had while eating dinner with my no. 1 fan, my “nonno”.
I wanted to give you guys a hint of what a hiker might feel before heading out into the unknown to thru-hike the PCT. Nonno wrote down 10 personal questions that Yannick and I answered separately, exactly one week before flying to the USA. This blog post therefore dives deep into our personal feelings and thoughts, worries, fears and hopes for the adventure awaiting us on the trail.
Here is what came out of the interviews… thank you nonno!
10 PERSONAL QUESTIONS
Giudi versus Yannick
How do you feel now, shortly before leaving?
I literally have butterflies in my stomach… you know, like when you’re falling in love? I feel so excited, I can’t wait to touch the monument at the southern terminus and to take the first steps on the PCT. But I can’t deny it… I am also very nervous and I am struggling to fall asleep at night.
I feel exhausted and can't wait to start our adventure!
Will you manage to leave your worries and problems behind?
God I hope so! One of the main reasons I am hiking the PCT is to detach from everything, to slow down and have a real break from my life at home. I hope I’ll leave my worries and problems behind for good and that they’ll never pop up again!
I think in the beginning (first 1-2 weeks) they will haunt me, but I am sure that one day I will just forget about them and leave them without worrying about anything but the most important things: walking, eating, sleeping.
Are you going to think about your job and the people at home?
I am for sure going to think about my family and friends at home, and I am going to miss some important events, like birthday parties and the concert of Taylor Swift in Zurich (yeah, sad emoji). Regarding my job… wait, which job?! I quit, so I don’t have to think about that anymore (yeah, happy emoji)!
I will try not to think about my job too much and just dive into a carefree state of mind. Of course, I will miss all the people at home and think about my job and what awaits me at home from time to time.
What are you most scared of?
Ahh my favorite topic… now I can unleash all my anxieties!
Jokes aside, I think my main fears are quite common for PCT thru-hikers:
Animals: the thought of encountering bears and mountain lions of course scares me, because in Europe we are not used to these animals. Additionally, I would panic if I would wake up in the morning and find a rattle snake or a tarantula hiding in my shoes.
Rivers and snow: when I think about tricky river crossings in the Sierra, or about the steep snow traverse of Forester Pass at 4000 m altitude, not kidding, I instantly feel the need to poop.
Lack of control: the uncertainty of completing this thru-hike, may it be because of wildfires, or because of injuries, is making me nervous… but I am sure I’ll overcome this fear once I’ll be on the PCT, and just enjoy one day at a time.
Post-trail depression: I have to admit that what scares me the most is the idea of coming back home after this adventure, confronting real life and society, and fighting post-trail depression.
Going out of the tent to take a leak in the middle of the night!
Do you feel safer on trail with your adventure buddy?
100% yes!
Although I know that I would be able to thru-hike the PCT solo, I am so happy that I will share this experience with my boyfriend, best friend and best adventure buddy. As a woman, I have to admit that yes, Yannick also makes me feel safer. For example, if I would be alone, I would have included “hitchhiking solo” in my top fears. However, the PCT is a very frequented trail, so I am sure I would do just fine being out there alone… I would just be a bit more anxious before leaving!
Yes! I tend not to worry too much, so I can easily forget something. Giudi usually has things under control and will make sure we are on the right track.
Are you able to adjust to any kind of difficulty on a new trail?
Yannick and I are perfect partners in crime, and so far we always managed to overcome any type of difficulty on trail together, may it be about logistics, weather, river crossings or even getting sick. I am confident this will be the case on the PCT too. Well, I hope I’ll quickly get used to the smell of his feet… otherwise I would spend 5 very difficult months on trail!
I think so. I am quite confident in my ability to adapt and I am actually very curious to experience the unexpected.
Will you meet other people?
Yes, for sure! On long thru-hikes, the friends you meet on trail actually become like family… you’ll share highs and lows with them, you’ll keep loosing them and finding them again when you’ll least expect it, and you’ll just feel pure love for them. I experienced this kind of magic on the Camino de Santiago, and I can’t wait to be part of a “trail family” on the PCT!
Yes, definitely! I am looking forward to meeting all kinds of people and making new friends along the way. When we first talked about doing the PCT, I wanted to do it SOBO to have a more solitary experience. However, I like people and I like making new friends and sharing experiences with them, so now I am looking forward to the NOBO social experience of the trail as well.
Do you think you’re going to cry on trail?
Yes, I am 100% sure I’m going to cry on trail, and even several times. I am a very emotional person, and I am not going to hide it!
I rarely cry, but I am quite sure that at some point in time I will shed a tear of happiness when I think about how lucky we are to be able to experience this.
What will be your biggest challenge?
“Ci saranno alti e bassi! Non sarà tutto rose e fiori!” (cit. nonno)
I know it will not always be smiles, sun and flowers on trail… there will be difficult and miserable times as well.
I think the biggest challenge will be mental. As previous PCT thru-hikers often reported, I think we will also hit a demotivational phase in Northern California, and we’ll need to stay mentally strong to overcome it.
This challenge is known amongst hikers as the “NorCal Blues”. Basically, the views get a little less interesting after having completed the epic and strenuous section of the Sierra, and maps are a good reminder that there is still a loooong way to go until Canada… and a big chunk of it would still be in the neverending state of California!
There will be many challenges, but I think we will be tested the most on bad days, on rainy days, on stormy days, on boring days. To sum it up, the biggest challenge will be to keep going, even when you feel like you are not having fun: "Never give up on a bad day!"
Are you looking for something during this trip?
I am looking for adventure, for a feeling of freedom and for the joy of loving life in its simplicity. After the trail, I hope to take these feelings back home with me, to never let them slip away and to have a fresh start into the next chapter of my life.
I don't know. I am not going into this adventure looking for an answer, but I hope it will give me some clarity about what I want in the future. Like many of my friends my age, I'm at a point in my life where I'm asking myself: "What's next?". I am starting this journey with no expectations, but as some people say: "The trail provides"… we shall see.