An opportunity to help Cody

Along with embracing the opportunity to achieve this dream of mine, I want to help a dear friend achieve his dream, too. Cody Breon, my former partner, also wants to hike the PCT someday. We used to talk about it frequently.

A year ago, on the same date as my start date, Cody was hit by a car while walking on the side of the road. The driver drove away, to let Cody be discovered hours later by a passerby. He was transported to Neuro ICU at Harborview Medical Center with a traumatic brain injury. In the months since, Cody has made an incredible recovery. The unwavering support of his loving and resilient family and his wide network of friends, combined with the feats of modern medicine, made recuperating from his brain and bodily injuries possible. Cody can now walk well, converse like his old self, and drive a car. He looks forward to being cleared to work soon. In fact, he will be starting his master's degree in environmental engineering this fall. Wow!

I am impressed and inspired by Cody. His story will buoy me as I walk the trail. With the cost of continued physical and mental rehabilitation, financing his hike is a hardship. Please contribute so that someday Cody, too, can walk the PCT. All donations will directly support his hike. Thank you!

Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/helpcodyhikethepct

Why I'm hiking the PCT

Simply put, I'm hiking the PCT because I really, really WANT to. I had the chance over the winter to indulge in myself and get in touch with what I truly want, without distractions of school or work. Last fall I found myself a bit depressed; I slowly realized this was because I had tacit expectations for what I would have achieved by age 30 (life partner, permanent job, savings for a house), and I hadn't achieved them. Once I was able to acknowledge and let go of these expectations, I could see what I actually wanted to do with myself instead of what I thought I should do with myself.

It quickly became clear that I really want to hike the trail. It's always been a dream of mine, but somewhat out of reach. I suddenly found myself with the opportunity to do it: few commitments (i.e., no job, no lease, no partner, no kids), enough cash, the motivation. I had been listening to a podcast, Sounds of the Trail, in which thru-hikers interview thru-hikers. Hearing their stories gave me confidence that I could, in fact, be one of them. I turned down a fantastic job opportunity, bought my flight, and cemented the decision. It was an opportunity to exercise a recent new mantra: make a decision and go forth with it 100%. Minimize the second-guessing and the self-doubt and embrace it!

So, here we go! It's wonderful to feel so happy about the decision. And I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!! Sometimes I just want to explode. I'm going to thru-hike the PCT! It's going to be so hard, and so amazing, and so everything. Let's f***ing go!!

Itinerary

Date (approx.)	Location
April 15	Fly to San Diego and stay at Scout and Frodo's (legendary trail angels that put you up, feed you, and drive you to the trailhead)
April 16 - start	START! From the Mexican border near Campo, California
May 15 - one month	Agua Dulce (mile 454.5)
June 1 - 1.5 months	Kennedy Meadows and the start of the Sierras (mile 702)
June 4	climb Mt. Whitney
June 7	side trail over Kearsage Pass and hitch to Independence and Bishop
June 24 - 2 months	South Lake Tahoe, CA (mile 1092)
July 5	Belden, CA
July 27 - 3 months	OREGON! Celebrate my birthday with free beer at Callahan's in Ashland (mile 1718)
Aug 5	Crater Lake
Aug 15	near Bend
Aug 25 - 4 months	Cascade Locks (mile 2147), cross into Washington
Sept 3 - Labor Day	Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 (mile 2393)
Sept 6	Stevens Pass on Hwy 2 (mile 2464)
Sept 16 - 5 months	FINISH! Reach the monument at the Canadian border (mile 2653)... then hike another 7 miles to reach a road