PCT 2017 Epilogue: Coming Home

PCT 2017- The year that was Fire and Ice. We hiked through heat waves, through deep snow, and over tall mountain passes. We forded dangerous rivers, got caught in smokey fires, and maneuvered around heart-breaking trail closures. Some of us walked in one direction, others flipped, or flopped, or flip-flopped. One thing is for sure, in that we all hiked our own hike (hyoh!).

We were dealt a challenging course this year and each of us had to make decisions that were appropriate for the time and place we were at on the trail.

Over the past five months I’ve learned that the Pacific Crest Trail has been my teacher. It was harder than I expected, challenging in ways I could not have predicted, and more beautiful than I ever could have imagined. 

I learned the importance of community and that overall people are good and kind. “Teamwork makes the dream work” we would say, and truer words were never spoken. Whether it was my fellow hikers helping me through a tough day, a trail angel offering some much-needed help, or my friends and family sending me messages and following along with the blog...this is what made my journey a success.

Now that I’m home my challenge continues. The culture shock of being back in Los Angeles has set in and I miss my trail family more than ever. It’s difficult to digest such an intense experience, but I’m doing my best to reassimilate into a world filled with daily choices, excessive stimuli, and actual bathrooms with toilets. 

I look forward to finding a new job and to bring the lessons I learned on the trail into my counseling practice to inspire young adults to step outside of their comfort zones, or to just step outside! 

I also look forward to more adventures. Thank you to everyone who has followed along with my blog- your support has propelled me and provided motivation throughout my journey.