Jitters
Welp. I'm about to blow up my life a bit and begin a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). This is the last weekend before I depart, and I am finding myself feeling all of the feelings. Honestly, for the past week I've vacillated between completely-excited-and-grateful-to-the-point-of-tears and raging self-doubt about my ability to complete this massive undertaking. Don't get me wrong, I've been preparing for a LONG time for this. I've section-hiked the entire Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin. I've completed the 93-mile Wonderland Trail around Mount Rainier. I've backpacked in the Tetons, Yosemite, Isle Royale, and Rocky Mountain National Park. I've been training as much as my two jobs will allow, most often on my beloved Ice Age Trail. I think I've got as good of a shot as anyone at making it the entire 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada. But I'm also not naive about how much luck will have to be on my side. Most people who start the PCT are not...