You and I are the same age!

Awesome story about your trail name. I hope to return to the PCT much sooner, but you never know with life.

Maybe it’ll take me another 6.5 years and we’ll be on the trail at the same time. Best of luck to you!

Thanks for posting this!

Thank you so much! Yes, I think it will be an awesome story one day if I actually do all three, or even just the PCT. Thanks for the support and I will definitely be back to post here once I’m on the trail long term and prepared lol

Oh yeah, its beautiful over there. Going to get backpacking practice all over the VA and NC area. Maybe even do some small sections of the AT.

Hey, nice to meet you! I actually love the name Cold Feet. It will be a great story someday when I actually do the whole trail. Tour Guide is an awesome name btw, haha. What year did you hike?

Thank you so much! Yeah, I may have been able to make the thru-hike work, but like you said, better not to risk it and find out in an emergency.

Now I’ve definitely got to prepare to come back in the future and really earn it! Haha.

Thanks man. After I spend time with the family in Florida, I am heading back to North Carolina. I plan on doing some overnight backpacking trips around Mt. Mitchell, and continue to do more short trips whenever I can. I want to prepare properly and maybe give the PCT another go next year.

Nice, I had my eyes peeled for rattlesnakes haha.

Hey, thanks. Yes, the first few miles are actually beautiful! One thing that surprised me is how high the elevation is at the beginning of the trail. Not too high but higher than I was expecting. For a bit I had that slight being on an airplane feeling in my ears but then it went away. I’d never noticed that it says the elevation on the terminus monument, haha.

No worries. You’re not being a jerk. Not sure if you saw my post from earlier this week. There are a few comments stuck at the top of that thread. It’s a bit of a read, but all of this here will make much more sense.

I wasn’t prepared for a thru-hike. For context, you can see my post from earlier this week. numbershikes has the relevant comments stuck at the top of the thread. This whole post here will make a lot more sense lol

Yeah. My permit was for Monday, so I wouldn’t have been able to keep going. It was just a day trip so I could see the trail before I leave California.

Thanks!

😂. I like it.

Move on from the PCT. Tomorrow I’m leaving San Diego for Florida.

I hiked 5 miles to the base of Hauser Mountain and then back to the terminus. Being on the trail is amazing and surreal.

For a long time you see/watch so many pictures/videos but arriving there and seeing it all with your own eyes is an incredible experience.

You were right about worries disappearing once you hit the trail. I’m happy I went and got a taste. Now I can move on. For now.

Nice. This is the closest I’ve ever seen someone get to Portra with a digital edit. What do you use? Lightroom?

Beautiful! This looks like Kodak Portra film. The soft muted colors and lighting. So gorgeous.

Hi. I did not end up going out to Campo today. I was not able to finish getting everything packed and make it over to old town to catch the PCT shuttle in time. They contacted me and told me they would wait for me at the REI, but it would have taken so long to get up there. I did not want to hold them up. I told them to go without me.

I left some details out of my original post. Like the fact that I had literally purchased my water filter only days ago and had no clue how to use it. And that I still had no idea how I was going to handle food and water resupply. I had food, but just bags of random snacks. I had also been struggling with my pack weight. I was cutting it close and too many items still did not have spots in my bag. It kind of hurt my back to put on what I already had in place.

It was 2am last night and I was sitting on the bed watching a Sawyer tutorial on my iPhone screen and struggling. That was when I knew I had F’d up. I was not prepared for this trip and waited until the last minute to do too many important things.

I know probably not news anyone wanted to hear. Hate to let you all down, but I have a further explanation and story I’d like to share. Maybe you’ll find some value in it.

my reasons for wanting to hike the PCT were complicated. I’ve always loved hiking, but with this, I was searching for something but was not sure what. I’ve always struggled with mental health and connecting with other people. Unfortunately, my parents most of all.

The lease on my apartment was ending and my contract at my last job was scheduled to end around the same time, so I thought it perfect timing to do the PCT.

2 weeks ago, I moved everything out of my apartment in North Carolina and into storage. Then flew to Los Angeles. I invited my parents and they came to visit without hesitation. It was the first time I’d seen them since before the pandemic. I didn’t think it right to start something as big as the PCT without seeing them first.

They stayed for a few days then flew back to Florida yesterday morning and I drove down here to San Diego. When I arrived it all began to feel very real. I felt so anxious and alone. The weight of everything closing in. I kept thinking of my parents.

In the middle of the night last night when I was starting to crumble, I called my parents and had a long conversation with them. It was the deepest one we’ve ever had and I honestly felt closer to them than I ever have before.

The last 48 hours have been a whirlwind of emotions but it has taught me some lessons. It’s shown me what’s really important in life. I want to talk and spend as much time with my parents while I am still able to. To treat them better. They are almost in their 70s and one day they will no longer be around.

We’ve made plans for me to fly to Florida on Friday to visit them at their house for the first time. The house they have wanted me to come see for so long. In a roundabout way, the PCT still gave me what I was looking for. I still plan on finding a way to make it out to Campo before Friday to see the terminus, hike a few miles, and then come back.

The PCT is still a goal, but now is not my time, and that is okay. I don’t have anything to prove. The trail will always be there to do when I have the right reasons. Although, it is unfortunate I wasted a permit someone else could have used. My sincerest apologies for that. The privilege of the opportunity is not lost on me.

So, if you’re in a similar situation and are expecting the trail to heal you, maybe look a little closer first. It’s possible what you need is already in front of you. I know, sounds so cheesy and cliche. But true. Life is unexpected. It brought me out here to California, but for a different reason than I was expecting.

This community is absolutely amazing and I cannot thank you all enough for the support. In the last 6 hours, I’ve had people offer rides and even open their homes to me. The kindness of strangers is something that never ceases to amaze me. Thanks.

So after much thought, I’ve decided to give it a try. I just know I’d be so angry at myself and regret it if I did not at least go to the terminus and set foot on trail. So here is my plan. I’m going to try and make it to Old Town and catch my original 2pm shuttle, but if not, numbershikes informed me that the regular bus line still goes out that way. I’m going to hike a few miles and see how I feel. I extended my stay at the hotel so that I can come back tonight or tomorrow if I want to.

I’ve been on Reddit in this community for less than 6 hours and you guys are just incredible. You have no idea how much your support means to me. I would not be heading out there if it weren’t for you. And to think I almost didn’t create an account this morning to share my thoughts!!

Amazing. I love you all.

I’m overwhelmed by the support here. I was not expecting this. Thank you all so much. I’m currently evaluating my situation and taking care of some things, so I will make my decision shortly on if I am still going to go or not.

I know. I do feel really bad about that.