Long time listener, called for the first time

I’ve spent years listening to the hiking world from the sidelines: learning, planning, and quietly turning the idea into something real. Now I choose to take the risk and take the step. This is the moment where preparation becomes commitment. I’m making my decision.

In 2026, I will attempt an end-to-end hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), starting at the Mexico-California border and ending at the Washington-Canada border. My goal is to complete the route in 120 days. This walk is a deliberate reset: an opportunity to test discipline, create space for reflection, and return to my work with a clearer perspective and purpose. The next step is to move from planning to execution.

This decision is based on the fact that I have been planning for it for approximately 15 years and the motivation has remained constant through major life changes. The recent losses of my mother and father reinforced a simple truth: waiting for the “perfect moment” can become a form of delay. I’m not chasing an impulse; I am acting on a long-standing commitment. I start now because the decision has been made and the opportunity to do it responsibly exists right now.

In Search of Paradise: My Dad at the Doyle Hotel (Duncannon, Pennsylvania). We hiked with Carlisle to Duncannon on the Appalachian Trail in the fall of 2021, a few months before he learned of his cancer diagnosis.

I plan to start heading north on Sunday, May 3, 2026. I will follow a structured approach to training, logistics and recovery so that my pace is sustainable throughout the season. The goal is consistency: build up good days and manage risk rather than relying solely on value.

The Route: PCT overview map (source: Pacific Crest Trail Association) showing the complete route from Southern California to Washington.

I’m not going to come to this with a blank slate, but with humility. I’ve attempted long runs before and learned what breaks systems: pacing mistakes, nutrition mistakes, and poor recovery decisions. I’ve gained experience along the Appalachian Trail, Cohos Trail, Arizona Trail, and John Muir Trail, and those miles have improved my way of planning, packing, and managing risk. This time, the goal is to finish, one controlled day at a time.

When it started clicking: At the Mexico-Arizona border monument on the Arizona Trail, one of the first trips where my trail systems started to look repeatable.

In upcoming posts, I’ll lay out my training plan, my refueling and budgeting approach, and the decision rules I’ll use for weather, health, and trail conditions. I’ll also explain what I’m changing from previous attempts and how those changes support a finish-focused strategy. For now my priority is to finish my training blocks, resupply plan and support logistics.

This is going to get interesting.

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