Last night the wind was strong. I woke up in a panic thinking everything in my hallway had been blown away. I stuck my head out of the tent and couldn’t see anything. Then I turned around and saw that everything was in the other hallway. To be safe, I carried everything inside my tent.
There was a thin layer of dirt covering the entire inside of my tent. I was cold and upset and tried to pack everything up as quickly as possible. I skipped my morning coffee and stomped down the trail.
Today I walked alone most of the day. It was cool and windy, so I wouldn’t have been in the mood for conversation anyway. Instead, I took some time to reflect on my list of 10 lessons from the first month on the road. Here they are:
1. Strength is above all a way of thinking. If you are mentally strong, physical strength will follow. Sometimes believing you can go the extra mile is the game-changer to actually going the extra mile. However, a full pack of food and water will still feel heavy.
2. Days in the city are not entirely relaxing. Between food/water/mileage/weather planning, resupply shopping, laundry, dishes, showers, food and sleep, days in the city are busy. Not to mention the overstimulation of being silent one day and lights, sounds and crowds the next.
3. Listen to your body. If you are hungry, have a snack. If your feet hurt, stop to rest them. If you are in pain, take a day off and seek medical attention when necessary. It may seem obvious, but sometimes it’s hard not to push yourself to the extreme. It’s good to challenge yourself, but it’s risky to push the limit.
4. Greet people. Chatting with a local can lead to a trip back to the trail, a PB&J sandwich, or a good tip on the best cup of coffee in town. Slowing down to walk a few miles with someone could lead to an exchange of stories of inspiring adventures or lessons of pain or heartbreak. You can learn a lot from other people once you stop to say hello.
5. Take time for yourself. Walking alone gives you the space to think and reflect, the freedom to make decisions for yourself and reset mentally. Being with people is fun, but being alone can be important for independence and growth.
6. Check with your friends. Ask your friend if they want to talk about a difficult phone call they just received from home. Ask if your blistered friend needs your lekotape and an Oreo after going down a steep hill. Call your coworkers from home on a Tuesday at noon because you have cell service and you know they’ll be together during lunchtime gathered around the speaker with questions about karaoke night and stories about the latest office gossip.
7. Tap into your inner child. Kick the soccer ball in the park. Sing out loud along with the Taylor Swift album playing through your headphones. Watch The Lion King on VHS. Buy oatmeal with the dinosaur eggs that hatch because it reminds you of Saturday mornings when you were 6 years old. Little reminders of simpler times can bring you a lot of comfort in the midst of discomfort.
8. Cry. A lot. Cry because your hips hurt. Or because you miss your dog. Or because you woke up on top of a mountain with the most beautiful sunrise appearing on the horizon and you can’t believe how lucky you are to be here right now.
9. Angels of the path are true angels on earth. They stock water tanks, offer transportation to and from cities, offer cold food or drinks on a hot day, open their yards and homes, and may even put $20 in your shopping bag when you’re not looking just because they care. Some are PCT alumni and have advice about the future. Some are locals who like to lend a hand. In short, they are more than deserving of the title and more than appreciated.
10. There is always a positive side to everything. When your fingers are so cold you can’t move them, a stranger might give you hand warmers. And when there are 30+ mph winds that almost blow you off the mountain, you can take shelter behind a bush with 4 other hikers laughing at how ridiculous you must look. Sometimes the hardest moments create the best stories.
I can’t wait to see what next month teaches me.
We are camping at a gated ranger station about 18 miles from Agua Dulce. A man named Todd maintains the area, supplying some water and a good campsite. He greeted me with beer and crispy rice delicacies. The wind finally died down, so I’m optimistic about a good night’s rest. Nothing is flying out of my hallway tonight.
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