Today was another fantastic day. After a tasty breakfast of cereal and fresh fruit, Stephanie and I gave Action Pack, Smiles, and Amigo a ride to the PO in Sisters which was about half an hour from the Browns' house. On the way out of Bend, we stopped at a great little coffee shop to pick up some famous Ocean Rolls and coffee for Stephanie and Peels who is a bit sleep deprived. The Ocean Rolls were a definite hit, and we had a stress-free ride to Sisters. It was also super nice to squeeze in a few last minutes with Stephanie on my way back to Bend.
Shameless, Mellow, Mud Flap, and I got a lift up to McKenzie Pass from trail angel Lloyd Gust who was kind enough to pick us up at Stephanie and Dave's house. Lloyd was a retired man who had made four trips with thru-hikers yesterday. Really nice guy who knew a lot about the area.
The hiking today was pretty chill. We had a few miles of annoying lava but eventually got back on some softer, less rocky ground. The best sections of trail were two parts that Shameless worked on a couple years ago as a trail crew leader. It was fun to hear him talk about what they had done, and we are currently camped at the site he stayed at with his crew.
We're about a third of a mile from Big Lake Youth Camp where I picked up a package of food and some new shoes. Shameless, Mud Flap, and Bobcat are here, and I wouldn't be surprised if a few others roll in later. There was quite a crowd at Big Lake Youth Camp. Mellow is a little ways ahead, probably trying to catch up with Smiles, Action Pack, and Amigo.
We hit mile 2000 today and we're less than 650 PCT miles south of the Canada border. Time is flying now. I can't say enough about how great it was to see Stephanie and Dave as they really helped me reconnect with my life in Seattle. There's no doubt I'm going to go through a major grieving period when I get off the trail, but I'm starting to look forward to building my new life. I've had a lot of time to think on the trail, and I'm planning to make some changes.
For now, I've decided not to return to the corporate world. I've tasted freedom, and I can't go back to the confining walls of a cube. I've also discovered how little I need to be happy. I'm having the summer of my life with little more than food, water, and about 14 pounds of belongings on my back. My current (tentative) plan is to return to Seattle, find a cheap studio apartment in Fremont or Wallingford, and then take a month long EMT/Wilderness course in Leavenworth, WA. I also plan to apply for a spring certified nursing assistant (CNA) program in Seattle. I've been thinking about the CNA program for quite a while now but was originally planning to get a non-professional job between the time I get off the trail and the time' I'll start school in the spring. However, I've realized that I'm going to have money left over after the trail and I wouldn't be able to make much money before starting school anyways, so this is a perfect opportunity to open some doors with the Wilderness EMT course. This is a program I've thought about doing in the past but haven't had time for and I can only imagine that it will benefit me as a CNA. At a minimum I can definitely see myself getting involved in volunteer SAR in the Cascades.
Why the CNA program? Any time I meet someone new out here, I always make a point of asking them what they've done for work. Most of us aren't independently wealthy, and yet we've all found a way to escape the "real" world and spend 5+ months hiking across the country Almost everyone of us managed to save enough money to survive out here and/or has a job with an enormous amount of flexibility. I wanted to know the secrets of other thru-hikers! Anyways, the predominate careers that I heard mentioned over and over again were trail maintenance leadership and the CNA. Don't get me wrong - I gave (and continue to give) plenty of thought to trail maintenance. However, for the time being, I've decided that I would prefer to keep my passion for the outdoors separate from my professional life. Also, my love for the outdoors extends beyond hiking and I worry that I would miss out on other types of adventures if I were leading trail crews for weeks or months at a time. As for becoming a CNA, many of you know that I've been interested in nursing for quite some time and even went so far as to take some pre-reqs for an RN program several years ago. I chickened out after deciding it was too big of a switch from what I was doing at the time and that I wasn't ready to make the commitment, but I don't think I ever totally let go of the idea. While I won't make nearly as much money as a CNA versus an RN, it will be a low investment way to get my feet wet in the nursing field. Also, CNA's often have a lot of job flexibility and there are many opportunities for contract work (hence the great number I've met along the PCT). At this point, flexibility and feeling like I am helping others are my number one career requirement.
Lots of changes ahead, and these plans may all change too. However, this is what I'm thinking at the moment and it feels right. There's no doubt the trail has chilled me out a lot and I'm extremely open to new opportunities. I've also become much more adverse to commitment (the thought of even signing a six month lease is terrifying now), and I have a lot of trouble looking more than a couple of months into the future. For the entire summer, I have avoided making plans beyond my next resupply. I'm definitely just going with the flow now, and it feels really good. I don't fret about every little detail like I've been known to do in the past. I know life will work out one way or another.
Off to bed! More hiking manana. Hope all is well for you!
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