In the summer of 2014, at age 65, I solo thru-hiked the 2,668 miles that make up the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).  The trail crosses the length of California, Oregon, and Washington from the San Felipe Hills in Southern California to the wild, dramatic peaks of the Pasayten in the North Cascades in Washington State.

My hike began at the border fence with Mexico, south of Campo, California, on April 1^st and I crossed the Canadian Border at mile 2,660 at the northern terminus September 26^th before hiking on to exit the trail at Manning Park, Canada.

This account is a daily record of my journey while highlighting the randomness of encounters along the trail. These posts include the many people I met and how the generosity of others restored my faith in the essential goodness of individuals.

Included are the boring bits as the hike is not always an adrenaline rush.  Without embellishment, this account covers the joy, the pain, the challenges, and the loneliness of the hike.

A long distance thru-hike is life changing. There is much to learn about oneself and of others. It is a mental challenge as much as a physical challenge.  Roughly one in four hikers make it to Canada. If one wishes to quit, the reason can always be rationalized.  A life lesson.

A hiker’s net worth is in your backpack, and it is a very small pack.