PCT | 3 Reasons Why
The Pacific Crest Trail…
2’650 miles in the wilderness of the US, from the Mexican to the Canadian border, through the states of California, Oregon and Washington.
When I think about the idea of stepping out of my comfort zone to walk this trail and to live several months in a tent, potentially in physical pain and discomfort, I can’t help to ask my self “Am I fucking crazy? Have I lost my mind?”. Yes, maybe I am crazy, maybe I have lost my mind.
The thing is that I have this deep feeling in my heart telling me to go… it seems like the trail has been calling me, and it has been for a while now.
For me, the idea of hiking the PCT started in 2014. Past, present and future PCT hikers are now probably thinking “how mainstream”, right? In 2014, the movie “Wild” was indeed realeased on the big screens. I remember feeling profoundly moved by the raw beauty of the trail and the courage, strength and resilience of Cheryl Strayed. However, at that moment, the idea of really going for it felt like a “mission impossible” for me, as I was not familiar with the world of long distance hiking and camping… it felt so far away from what I thought I was capable of.
The movie Wild planted a tiny seed in my mind, which eventually grew and grew over time, rooting in my heart and becoming my biggest dream.
I don’t really know exactly how it happened, but in 2019 I took a decision. I was going to quit my job and make this dream of mine become reality. I was going to hike the PCT in 2020.
Suddenly, I was sucked into the preparation phase… the permit, the gear research and the Youtube videos of “The Whimsical Woman” became my new reality.
Well, we all know how it ended for the PCT class of 2020 “nogo”… damned COVID.
I eventually managed to get over that big delusion, found a new full-time job and came back to a “normal life”.
Three years have passed, and there has not been a single day where I did not think about the Pacific Crest Trail. Nevertheless, I slowly lost myself day after day, loosing sight of who I want to be and how I want my life to look like. My failed attempt in 2020 also made me realize how short and unpredictable our lives are, and how important it is to me to at least try to fulfill my dreams.
So I made up my mind: 2024 was going to be the year.
But still, WHY?
A “why” is the most important thing to hold on to while on a thru-hike. I know mine will give me strength and motivation to continue walking, even during the most miserable days.
However, I find it very hard to summarize my “why” in just one reason for wanting to hike the Pacific Crest Trail… I guess I have a thousand reasons to fight for this dream, and zero for giving up.
Ok, I will try to summarize my “why” in… let’s say… 3 main reasons.
Here are my 3 reasons for wanting to hike the Pacific Crest Trail:
#1
I feel the need to disconnect from the “normal” life I am living right now, and to totally reset. The PCT is giving me the chance of a long break, a new start, a new chapter in my life.
#2
I want to go on a big adventure and feel completely free for once, not knowing what will come the next day, the next month, the next year. My main goal is not about reaching Canada, but rather to enjoy every step of this journey, to create memories of a lifetime, to live a life worth remembering.
#3
I want to feel like my true self again. I know that life on a trail can be tough, uncomfortable and miserable, but I also know too well that it always makes me happy. I just love myself out there. I love how that simple life makes me slow down and gives me time to think. Maybe it is because of the simplicity of its routine… wake up, walk, eat, sleep, repeat… or maybe because of the total disconnection from the hectic rhythms of a city, from the internet and social media, and from all the useless worries I experience every day back at home, that fill my stomach with a knot of anxiety. Life on a trail makes me smile, makes me feel beautiful and proud of myself… so I have to go.