Some thoughts before departure...

  • I am still not a vet, doctor, lawyer, dog trainer, cia agent, fbi agent or a navy seal so...walk
  • I am doing this for the challenge of course, and I hope to gain a confidence that comes with this type of endeavor. But also I hope to gain some new knowledge about the world and the truths that reside in it.
  • Am I walking to "find myself"? Or just to take a walk. You decide...and you'll probably be right.
  • I'm not in the best shape of my life, but I do have a lot of new great gear so....
  • After living with my parents the last 2 years, it makes perfect sense to walk 2650 miles - alone.
  • Yes there will be bears, cougars, rattlesnakes and scorpions both imagined and real along the way. I'm definitely more worried about those imagined.
  • Am I scared? Not as of yet, more of just a constantly increasing anticipation. But check back with me on the 3rd night in the desert.
  • I tried to keep my pack fairly light, but I definitely would not call it ultralight. Somehow when I added up all my ultralight gear and put it in my ultralight pack, I ended up with just slightly heavy.
  • My biggest concern for this trip is that I get too hungry somewhere along the way, my brain goes awol as it usually does when I get hungry and subsequently you never hear from me again...I'll try to eat frequently.
  • I am not Christopher McCandless. This is not Into the Wild.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

ask and ye shall receive


Day 104, Mile 1830.4---First of all, SUCCESS! I walked 22 miles today without taking a break to get to Crater Lake as early as possible. I made it in around 245 and called my Dad to find out the deal with Rob and Terri. The Post Office was 4 or more trail/road miles so i went to the nearest phone at the Mazama Village store. My Dad couldn't get ahold of them for me but a minute after i hung up with him i saw my Aunt Terri's car come into the parking lot. The person in the passenger seat looked like a woman waving at me like my Mom waves when she is excited - both hands going. It WAS my Mom! Pretty awesome feeling i have to say. Not that Uncle Rob wouldn't have been awesome to have too, but there is nothing like that feeling of contentment when you see your Mother after a long absence of this kind. That was a long sentence. Anyway so like i had hoped, wished, and prayed, it all worked out. Not to mention that my Aunt Terri had packed fruit and french bread in a cooler which i immediately got into. Like having two moms come to see me, awesome. Well not like, cause they are both moms but - nevermind, it was just good, great, grand, wonderful. Right now i am laying in a bed and the longer i type the less time i have to enjoy it in sleep. If you ever want to really appreciate your bed just sleep on the floor with a Thermarest or something for 5 nights, it will be awesome on that 6th night. Tomorrow we get my boxes because although my mother was at the post office when it was open they would not give them to her. She even showed her ID that matched exactly the return addresses on the boxes, as well as my last name, obviously. But she was denied. So breakfast and charging batteries tomorrow, then getting new shoes and food from my other box, then back on the trail. Thought of the day; i had a really good one, but food and family and i cannot recall. Song of the day; same, sorry. Craving of the day; a decent salad.

JWC on the PCT

3 comments:

Mom and Dad said...

Jesse jesse jesse, it was so wonderful to see you and even more wonderful to know that feeling was recipreocated (sp?) Aunt Terri and i had a fun adventure and probably had the most fun just watching you put away the calories!

PS This is a warning to the folks ahead stock the pantry....cause big eater jesse is comin to town!


Love, mom xxooxoxoxxo

Anonymous said...

Sounds great, Jess - wish I'd been there, too!

ark said...

Jesse...I was planning to make a
dozen of those white rolls you like, but now I am thinking two
dozen. And I am wondering...cheese cake or raspberry tart? Perhaps you have already heard this, but the guy who won 8 gold medals in the Olympics eats close to 12,000 calories per day. That is a lot of food for sure. Can't wait to hear your stories and watch you enjoy putting away the calories.
Love forever..........Andrea