GOT THE PERMIT

I GOT THE PERMIT! I AM OFFICIAL!

Everyone wants to hear those words "My Permit Came!"

I am one of the few (so far 3600) TO GET INTO THE PCT.  

Many people did not get their permit,  many people did not get the date they wanted.  I did receive my permit by e-mail last night.  I was planning on Easter morning but I ended up getting April 3rd, which is fine.  It is going to be a high snow year in the Sierra.  Does that scare me?  Sure, a little it does.  I will need to buy a "whippet"  which is like an "Ice Axe".  I have watched the self-arrest video and I will practice with it I promise.  When you do a trek like this, you have fears,   I am perfectly honest with you,  yes, I have some.  I do not like being cold.  I do not like ice except in summer in a cold drink.  I have never done a self-arrest.  I prefer Summer over Winter.

Let's talk about "The wizard of Oz"  "Lions and Tigers and Bears oh my",  Well yes there are bears and mountain lions and scorpions in the desert.  There will be high rivers because the snow melts,  there are lots and lots of scary things out there but do you lock yourself in your room and never go outside?  No,  You get up get dressed and go to work or go to town almost every day.  I will be walking.  I will go slow.  I am not in a race.  I will be with a friend. I have read all about the dangers.

I will be re-supplying along the trail which means I will buy food as I go.  People get bored of food, the same food so it makes sense to just buy as you go.  I will try to eat the best food I can get, the healthy food but sometimes a convenience store does not have good choices.  I will do my best.  I do not want to send a box from home that costs $20.00 to ship and then try to walk to a Post Office 18 miles from the PCT trail and wait for it to open, make sense?

I worry about my family members whom I love.  Will they be alright without me?  What if something happens?  These are all real fears and as you know, most fears and worries never happen.  I know that my family and my dog know that I love them very very much.

If I didn't do this trip, I would regret it the rest of my life.  I must do it.  It is something deep inside of me that I just know I have to do.  Hard to explain really.  Everything has just fallen into place.  I went to my dentist and my doctor and I am all checked out.  Sometimes in life, you have to just take a risk, you have to step outside the boundary and see what is on the other side.  Is it curiosity? is it wanderlust?  Is it Gypsy blood?  I don't know but I do know that God made me an adventurous person.  He gave me a drive, a motivation, a stubbornness.

When I look back on my life, it seems that everything has groomed me up to this point,  it has lead me straight here for this moment in time.  I think everything that has happened to me, the good, the bad and the ugly has just made me a whole lot stronger for the trail.

Most of all I am looking forward to the beauty of nature.  I am looking forward to helping women with Breast Cancer (Casting for Recovery) as my fund-raiser.  I am so very Happy that I get to raise money for kids to go to Camp (Mazie Morrison Foundation).  I am privileged to do all of this,  I am also very grateful and thankful to my family fro letting me go.  It's not going to be easy but I think it is going to be fun.

I hope you follow along on my adventure.  It's going to be a wild ride.   YIPPEE!

How the RUCK went???

RUCK WAS AWESOME!

What fun to be with outdoor people!

I love to go somewhere that has people who think like you.  People who love the outdoors are just great people.  People who Backpack love the environment.  I want to help save the environment.  I want to eat healthy. I want to live healthier. That is why I go to nature.  I can breathe fresh air and drink fresh water and talk for hours with people.   I can watch a sunrise or sunset and share life.  I went to the RUCK this last weekend and got to be on the Panel of ultra-lite thru-hikers.  It was a blast and I learned a ton.  I learned you don't need bandaids, just duct tape,  you don't need a bazillion clothes, just thin layers.  I had packed a little heavier clothes.  I learned not to sweat the small stuff,  just get on the trail and go.  You do not have to be 100% fit,  just get out there,  the tail will teach you.  I have been a text-book thru-hiker.  I am learning to be a real thru-hiker,  still lightening my pack.  I have been a little bit stressed because I want to pack just the right things for just the right moments and have everything all planned out.  Guess What?  It does not happen that way.  The trail dictates to you.  The trail knows what you need and if you let it,  you will gain strength from it.  I am just learning like a baby even though I have been studying this stuff a year now or more.  I need to just chill.   I need to relax and just let it all happen.  I am just such a planner so it is hard but I have found that there is no way that I can have every scenario taken care of ahead of time.  I have to be patient and wait.  You can only plan so much and then you have to let go.   So here is to "Letting Go".

THAT'S THE PLAN!

THE PLAN

ITINERARY SO FAR.

EVERY GOOD GENERAL HAS 2 PLANS, HERE IS 1 OF THEM.

https://www.pctplanner.com/plan.php   

 HERE IS A LIST OF DATES FOR MY POTENTIAL HIKE.  IT MAY ALTER DEPENDING ON WEATHER, AND HOW FAST I MOVE.  IT IS AN OVERVIEW, I AM SURE IT WILL CHANGE ALSO WHEN I TAKE ZERO DAYS (DAYS NOT HIKING) IN TOWNS.  I WILL ALSO BE POSTING ON "TRAILJOURNALS.COM" AND MY HAPPY CAMPER GIRL PAGE ON FACEBOOK.  SEE ONE OR SEE THEM ALL,  THEY WILL BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.

I will be sharing my deepest thoughts during my trek.  I will be talking about trail culture,  thru-hikers,  Gear, what worked, what didn't, etc.  I will be flooding you with pictures of where I am so you can follow along with your own map if you want to.   I will be honest with the way I feel so be prepared for the occasional outbursts of "I don't like this rain"  or "life sucks today"  once in a while.

I think that life is something we experience and share with others.  I am hoping you will follow along with me as I visit the world and experience the way it is outside in the elements.  I think this trek will give my life more meaning, purpose.  I am also raising funds for women with breast cancer, and raising funds so that kids can go" to camp" for the first time.  I know that Breast Cancer is a fight, a real one.  I am amazed at women who overcome these obstacles.  I think that going over a snowy pass in a windstorm does not even come close to what women who have breast cancer fight with every day.    I can't imagine that.  I want to fight for them in a small way by walking.  

Every day will have enough worries of its own,  I will get to find out what they are.  Few people get to step into a different world for 5 months.  Few people see the kind of beauty I will see.  I consider this a privilege and I want to share it with you.   So thank you for reading and supporting my cause.

https://www.pctplanner.com/plan.php   You can copy and paste and check this out.

The Ruck, What? The Ruck! It's a fun event.

THE RUCK!

A fun event!

It's a place to find out more about backpacking and be around like minded individuals.  There might be one in your area so check with "ALDHA"  the American Long Distance Hiker's Association!

I made a presentation board for when I talk at the Ruck.  I also want to share with people my research and how I came up with all of the things you need to do on your 2,658-mile hike.  What do you take?  What are the scary things you will face?  What is the fear factor?  How do you know you can make it to Canada?  How do you even start a hike like this?  What about income for 5 months?  These are all questions that you will have the answers to.  Lunch is provided also and snacks,  it will be a great day.  I love to learn,  even when I teach I learn.  You do have to have some time to prepare,  I am so glad I had a year.  I have my permit,  it is a little bit earlier than I wanted, had to change my flight too.  It's all good,  I am learning every day how to overcome the obstacles that life hands us,  the little ones and the big ones.  Think about if YOU would like to do something like this, make a plan, tell somebody,  Just do it, as the "Nike" motto says.  You can have your dreams come true but you have to start with a plan, a goal.  I read a book called "Crossing Antarctica", after reading that book I thought to myself "I can do something like that"?  Something impossible!  Something Spectacular!  And....You can!  Don't let anybody tell you no!  I just saw a guy on a video with no legs hiking the trail.  You just can never give up on your dreams.  Do you really want to be sitting on the couch when you are 60,70 or 80  and saying to yourself  "Oh, I wish I would have done that"!  No way, not me, not ever,  I will make my own dreams come true, thank you very much.  LIFE is so worth living.

So, what I am trying to say is this,  you can make a difference in your own life.  you can change, you can do this!  I believe we have the power to do amazing things and help people on our way also.   Hope you are inspired, let me know if you are,  that means I am doing something right.  Love YIPPEE!

PCT PERMIT DAY

TODAY IS PCT PERMIT DAY!

THIS IS WHEN YOU TRY TO GET A PERMIT WITH 2,500 OTHER PEOPLE TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING!  YIKES!

I THOUGHT I HAD THE DAY ALL PICKED OUT, OOPS!

Well, today started out like any other day,  I woke up, took a shower, went downstairs to see the hubby and then I remembered I needed to get on the computer today at 10:30 am with the PCTA so I could apply for my permit.  I could never have dreamed up what the next 2 hours would hold for me.  First of all, it seemed like the system crashed with so many people trying to get on.  When I finally did get on, it dropped me 4 different times.  Good thing I am a patient person.  I kept trying,  I had 4 tabs open,  I called a friend.  I started to panic.  I looked at the PCT Class of 2017 and everyone was getting their permits,  why wasn't I getting one.  Finally, I got on and my date was gone,  there were only 2 dates left in April,  one after my original start date and one before.  I called a friend.  "What shall I do?"  I already have a plane ticket.  I took the earlier date.  I then called my airline.  Thank goodness I could exchange my ticket, plus a few dollars more and then I could make another airline reservation.  Most of the flights were booked except one that was a week earlier than my PCT Date and 3 weeks earlier than originally planned.  

Everything happens for a reason I believe so I booked it.  Now for the call to the hubby.  Hey, hubby,  I am leaving earlier than I thought,  I am packing sooner than planned,  yes, I know there is more snow in the mountains and more water in the rivers.  It all worked out.  It always does.  Great two more obstacles I overcame.  Getting better at this.  I am relieved that this is all over.  I started the day at 10:30 am and finished it about 3:00 pm.  Long Day.  I have a lot of work to do still,  too many to name.

I am looking forward to Sunny San Diego, my old home.  I am looking forward to seeing the beaches I used to surf at.  I am looking forward to eating fish tacos again.  I will be happy to see my friends, my college buddies,  my old roommates and my husbands family.  I miss them all.  If you ever want to hike the PCT, make your airline reservations after your permit date.  Also, get a big cup of coffee before you sit down to the computer.  Take the stress away and have a big deep breath.  It is all fun.

HAPPY CAMPER GIRL PCT GEAR

WHAT SHALL I WEAR?

CLOTHES DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

WHAT KINDS OF THINGS DO I PUT IN MY PACK?

PACK WITH GEAR IN IT.

A CUTE DESERT OUTFIT

COLD WEATHER LAYERS

MY FAVORITE TOYS

 BOOTS FOR THE HEAVY SNOW

MY PACK IS SHOWN HERE WITH GEAR INSIDE, SOME "SMART ONES" WATER BOTTLES, MY DESERT UMBRELLA FOR SHADE AND ALSO MY PEE RAG.

You need many things when you cross the desert,  mostly water.  You have to plan and research everything because you have to find the lightest option or your feet will feel the weight .  So if you have two shirts you like, get the scale out, weigh them both, take the lighter one.  Do this with each piece of gear, even a bic lighter.  I never knew that they came in these little itty bitty ones.  You even have to weigh your underwear.  I know it sounds funny but you have to think in ounces and grams.  16 ounces make a pound,  it is easy to get there pretty fast.  Pounds are felt on your feet and your back.  I do not want any injuries so I am precautions and weigh everything.  That is why I even cut my toothbrush in half and also am using some powdered toothpaste.  I am sure some of this will change by the time April rolls around.  I have changed so much already after careful research.  

I got my bear canister yesterday.  I could not get that thing open.  Now I know how frustrated a bear feels.  Finally, I got it figured out.  It weighs 2 pounds 9 oz.  That is a lot of weight but it is a law that you have to carry one through Yosemite.  I like to abide by the law so I ordered one.  I have some clothes shown here that I will be wearing.  One is a pink ghost whisperer jacket.  It is super warm and super lightweight.  I have tested it in the worst of conditions,  I will have to put on my rain jacket if it snows or rains over the top of it.  I will be wearing trail runners,  I have boots just in case of super heavy snow.  I really just have to see what Mother Nature will provide out on the trail.  I hope she will be nice to me.  I try to be nice to her.  I know a pee rag sounds gross but you have to go potty and when you do, clean up that little drip.  You have it on the outside of your pack because 1.  it is easy to get to and 2.  it bleaches itself out with the sun and becomes germ-free.  I like that idea.

Getting the gear for a trip like this is fun,  it is expensive to buy some stuff so you have to buy it over time, for me that was a year of planning.  some gear is cheap, like a head net for bugs, just 3.99.  You can make your own meals too and then re-hydrate them.  There are lots of used gear places too.  I like to use E-bay sometimes and also Amazon.  I have been adding sponsors for my trip,  great company's who are helping me out.  I appreciate everyone who is helping me on this journey.  It is awesome to know I have friends and readers who are enjoying this whole journey.  So thank you for listening.

YIPPEE

WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OUT OF.

WHAT ARE DREAMS MADE OF MIG?

DREAM BIG! DREAM A LOT!  DREAM AND THEN DREAM SOME MORE!

  I LOVE TO DREAM,  DAYDREAM OR WHATEVER.  I LOVE TO THINK OF THE "WHAT IF'S".  WHAT IF I TRAVELEd AROUND THE WORLD,  What if I set sail and didn't ever come back.  Would my family miss me,  probably!  I would miss my family, my dog, my mom very much.  I really love my family.  But why oh why do you want to leave?  Well, that's a hard one.  I guess I have some gypsy blood in me.  I like to be on a road, or on the grass,  I love to look up at the clouds and wonder things.  I like to escape from reality sometimes.  I like to be alone too.  Sometimes this hurts people's feelings,  I'm sorry but it is just something I can't help.  I was made this way,  I like to ramble and move and see things and eat new food and visit new places and talk to people.  People are so darn interesting,  everybody has a story.

  I do not have an unlimited source of income.  I am an artist,  sometimes a starving artist,  but I try hard and that counts for something.  I make life beautiful,  I paint life on canvas and paper,  I try to see all the good, the beautiful things.  I love to paint.  It makes me feel alive.  Soooo,  I set out on an adventure,  a real one,  to hike the Pacific Crest Trail,  Yea, that one!  I will paint from it.  I will also experience things that the trail is trying to teach me.  I am open to that.  I love to laugh and to cry to because it cleanses me.  I want to be open to new things and to feel the fresh air on my face and the strength in my legs as I climb.  Yea,  I know it will be hard,  I am definitely anticipating that.  But it's all okay, I will survive.

 So, what are dreams made of these days?  Well,  I am making boxes, Boxes you say?  yes!  I am making my re-supply boxes.  I get to put junk in there that I think I may want to eat.  I also get to put in supplies, gear and a bunch of other cool stuff.  The only problem is that I am taking over the living room, the kitchen, and the dining room table.  It's not my fault,  I need the room.  It's also fun!

So I have all of these maps and zip lock baggies that I have to organize into compartments and put into special boxes with dates and names.  It is a long process.  I have to put my name on the box in just a certain way or it will not get delivered,  I have to send it to myself somewhere along the trail and then I have to wait for it to arrive at just the right time so I can open my mouth and shove in the food.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  Well, it is.  I can't think of anything else I would rather be doing except drinking margaritas on a beach in Mexico while it snows here outside.  OH well,  That's life.

My dream and it is a big one, is to finish the trail by Sept 15th, leaving April 16th Easter.  It's a big dream to walk 2,658 miles into Canada.  It's a dream to eat tons of chocolate and not get fat.  I will consume over 6,000 calories a day in food, doesn't that sound wonderful?  I think so!  So today your homework is to THINK OF YOUR DREAM!  Think big,  What do you want to do with your life?  Don't waste it!