The problem is late to the PCT

One night out of the path

My tramilia and I walk from our Hotel room shared through the quiet streets of Big Bear Lake, California. It is at the beginning of June and the city is in a liminal period: ski slopes have closed, but the mountain bicycle complex is not entirely open. Some stores are closed. The streets are practically empty.

Around the corner to see Murray’s Saloon & eater, a diving bar that the recommended locals known by the karaoke on Thursday night. We go to the local cyclists who smoke outside and in a small and noisy room where someone is killing «Bohemian rapsodia». It is quite overestimulating. Less than 24 hours before, I was watching the sunset on Big Bear Lake only in a fallen pine in the last rays of sunlight before going to bed around 9.

I passed some locals to the bar, and before the waiter even took my order, she says: «Wow, I didn’t expect to see more hikers.» It is the same comment that we have been receiving the last 250 miles. While I grabbed my refueling in Wrightwood Fine Foods, the young cashier commented: «You are a little late.» A voluntary path that cuts a bush of Creosote covered with vegetation begins our brief conversation with: «I did not expect to see the hikers.»

Usually, I only respond with «Oh, yes? When did most people arrive?» I receive comments positively. In my opinion, what strangers really say is: «Hey, I see what you are doing, and I am observant enough to know that you are a bit atypical.»

Back along the way.

However, when I am back along the way, I begin to reflect on the comments. Initially I feel more pain and maybe even sadness. Am I missing something? I wonder. Don’t I get the full experience of trails? Would it have more fun if there were 30 people around me? I always answer this spiral with your own question: Late to what? Isn’t it the point of trying a walk to get away from the deadlines, pressure and rapid rhythm of contemporary society? Here, it is not the clock but the desert sun that dictates my day.

Late starting challenges

I am not naive enough to think that walking late the PCT does not come with its own challenges. The southern California desert is heated, perhaps even dangerously hot. Water takes longer. The amount of sunscreen that must re -apply increases. The later we arrive at the waterfalls, the more mornings we will wake up with snow in our stores or storms that will delay our ability to go to the mountains.

The silver lining

Starting late comes with its advantages as well. While we walked through the San Jacintos, we saw only the last dying snow breaths on the top of the mountain. On the way there was no snow at all. There are rarely other groups at the campaign points that we shoot every day, and even if there is, there is space for everyone. We also enjoy narrower relationships with some of the angels of trails. An angel of trails lamented the fact that sometimes his property is filled with 20-30 people at the top of the bubble, so he often hides inside to avoid repeated answers to questions such as «Can we drink water?», Despite the dozens of signals that indicate that he can. With our small group of seven, he spoke with us all night, he made pancakes and gave us stories when he completed his triple crown.

It is difficult to happen.

The conclusion is that a 2,650 -mile walk of the Pacific Crest Trail walk will be a challenge regardless of when you do. The very nature of a walk is unpredictability, so who can say if starting before a given year is «better»? I will not, and I will not let the strangers at random cloud my optimism. While some of the streams have dried, the impressive sunsets, howls of the coyote, a deep connection with those around me, painful blisters, magic of trails and everything else that still makes a walk through a walk will continue there.

Advancing.

On my next day, I am sure that some hikers and we will find our way in the local bar to drink a well -deserved drink, or perhaps in the local restaurant for breakfast, or even in the supermarket in a resistant, and we will be received with «Not everyone is a bit late?» I will simply smile and say with confidence:

«Yes, we are, but who wants to appear at the party early?»

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