PCT Dreamin'

Did you know?

We're off on another adventure! 

It's been a helluva' couple years of great adventures.  While we love and adore this incredible place we call home, we keep continuing to mix it up.  Whether at home or afar, Adventures are the stuff of Living.  We aspire to keep on, keepin' On.  Living that is.  And so we're off again.

What's been on our mind the last 2 months?

That would be the Pacific Crest Trail.

Yes, THAT trail.

Who says you can't do the same thing twice?

Ohhhhhh, the adventures we will have!  The Places We'll Go!!

Keith and Leslie are going hiking.

This time last year:  a hitchhike with a bicycle on the Navajo Reservation.

Keith Selfie:  Ski touring above Bow Lake

I've been busy organizing, packing boxes of food, buying some gear.  We are so ready to hit the trail.  Keith's been working hard at the lodge all winter, eating too much good food and drink, being a Powder Pig and skiing up a storm. It's going to be a shock going from winter in the Canadian Rockies to spring heat in the desert.  I'm ready.  He's ready.  We're Ready.

For an Adventure!!

Keith's winter job:  CMH Cariboos  Backcountry Heli-ski bliss!!

Really?  He calls this work.

Home Sweet Home:  Me making turns in the Sunshine Village backcountry

We fly tomorrow.

To San Diego.

We'll visit friends, who will take us to the trail.

We'll put on our packs. 

And we'll start hiking.

In the desert.

Being an Ass in Utah

I LOVE THE DESERT!!

These Canadian cheeks are going to be red.

Or pink.

I'll get SWASS.

*Sweaty Ass*

Home:  Tunnel Mountain Trail

We'll forget about winter.

We're soooo done with it.

Although we love it.

Monument Valley on the bikes

We shall sweat our Arses off in the desert!!

On the very beautiful Pacific Crest Trail...

If you recall.

I hiked that little trail in Aug-Sept-October of 2012.

A Very Remote Corner of Banff National Park

I LOVE OUR HOME!!!

I love Hiking.

I love my hubby.

I love to travel.

I love trails.

I love adventure!!

Our Pet Elk Mittens - our front lawn

I LOVE OUR ELK!!

Too bad we can't take Mittens.

Our Guard elk.

He's out with his Harem right now.

Life is Good.

Especially if you have a Harem of ladies.

Or are going hiking for 2 months in Southern California.

The Place Where Adventure Ideas Are Born:  our Kitchen

I LOVE COFFEE HERE!!

We will hike in beautiful places, on a beautiful trail, day after day after day!  Through desert and mountains and magical pine forests.  Mmmmm.

Before you know it, I'll be sitting here back in my kitchen dreaming of the next adventure.

But for now, there is the Pacific Crest Trail - for the next 2 whole months!

I can't wait for the adventure to begin.

More Good Stuff!!!

The Danish visitors left us with a new expression:  "More Good Stuff!!!"   A few years back one of them received one of those delightfully tacky talking Greeting Cards and this is what the voice in the card proclaimed.  This little goofy English expression stuck and the girls now use it frequently. It's most commonly used when one is flying down a ski slope, or a gliding through a meadow of fresh white sparkling powder guided by the moonlight and stars.

 Sunshine Meadows by Full Moon - Feb. 7th

It's been a whirlwind of More Good Stuff the past 2 weeks, actually far too much to keep up with.  There's been some amazing adventures:  a full moon ski, some warm sunny days and glorious runs and a few ski tours to new and beautiful places.  This past weekend - 3 full days at Skoki Lodge.  We made some incredible turns until my legs were sore on our first day, then we bagged an incredible high ridge on the second day and finally, we relaxed and skied back to civilization on our third day.  More Good Stuff!  

Sparkle and Snow

Either way, the expression "time fly's when your having fun" fully applies to me and my life right now.  Time seems to be passing at such an exponentially fast rate, that I feel like I could use some extra time to organize my time. :)  Or just collect my thoughts.  Too Much Good Stuff?  Truthfully, I've been a little distracted with a few ideas swirling in my head.  You see, there's this little thing I've been obsessing about.

 Twin Cairns

It's time to Howl.

 Back in the New Year I wrote:

I love the New Year. It puts me in a contemplative state-of-mind and makes me hyper aware of the passing of time and of good things to come. It makes me think that now is the time to live my life, because every moment counts. Time is precious and we've got a limited supply.  It's your life to live, it sure would be a shame to not enjoy it! So, if you have any big hairy audacious goals - put them on your list and start planning. Time's a ticking.

Friday AM - at Skoki Lodge:  More Good Stuff

So, I've been thinking.  I've got a few big hairy audacious goals on my wishlist.  Most of them involve trails and adventures and travels - or some variation of those themes.  My big crazy dream that's been on the wishlist since I first heard about it the desire to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

Merlin's Castle - above Merlin Lake:  Skoki Backcountry

It's a trail that stretches from Mexico to the Canadian border and travels 2,650 miles or 4,265 kilometers through 7 National Parks, 24 National Forests and 33 federally mandated wilderness areas.  Until recently, I didn't think it was an attainable goal for me to take the time to do this in the next few years.  A few weeks back, all of that changed over a breakfast conversation and a morning cup of coffee with my husband.  In a nutshell, Keith told me that I should just go do it and I should do it now.  So, just like that it was decided.  When your husband gives you the "two thumbs up" to go for a very long solo walk, you have to go for it. 

Best-est Husband on Earth or in this case, on Merlin Ridge

It's been oddly surreal.  I went from "Some day, I'm going to do that!" to "I'm doing the PCT!" practically overnight. It left me a bit bewildered and I almost didn't quite believe it myself.  Now that it's settled - I'm practically bursting at the seams.This thing, this dream o' mine it's happening!  It's really happening!!

Happy Leslie!

I'M GOING TO GO DO THE FRICKIN' PACIFIC CREST TRAIL!!

MORE GOOD STUFF!!

 

We're Going There.  More Good Stuff.  Merlin Ridge in the distance.

Now, you're probably asking yourself:  how long does it take to walk 4,265 miles?  Well, it's a major time commitment.  Every year in early May, around 300 hikers start the PCT from the Mexican border.  Most of them are going to take 5 months and try and finish sometime in late September.  As for me, I can't start in May with this years annual crowd of through-hikers.  The time line doesn't work for me or for my employer.  I'm going to do something a little bit different and start from the Canadian border on August 1st traveling North to South.  It means I could be a little lonely and it also means I'm going to have to work very hard to make it through the Sierras before the snow arrives.  Who knows if I'll make it.  If I survive one month, then 2 months, then 3 months - I'll be a happy girl.  If I actually make it the entire distance I'll be thrilled beyond words.  If I don't make it, I sure will have had fun trying.

More Good Stuff!  Looking towards Lake Louise from Merlin Ridge

So, that's my big exciting news.  I'm hiking the Pacific Crest Trail!  More Good Stuff, indeed.