We arrived at the midpoint of the Pacific Crest Trail a few days ago, Woohoo! That means we have approximately 1,300 miles. This publication is a reflection on the trip so far: what we have learned, what surprised us and what we expect while (hopefully) we arrive in Canada.
Food
Food is everything in a walk: it is our fuel, our reward and, often, our main motivation. One of my biggest fears before starting the path was not to be able to find gluten -free food in the city. I only sent a refueling box ahead, and I am very happy not to have sent any more. I have constantly been able to find safe foods, even in smaller cities.
In larger villages, places like Outlet and Walmart have been incredible for gluten -free replenishment options. In smaller villages, I had to be a bit more creative, but I have always managed to join something together.
Some of my favorite meals of gluten -free trails so far:
• Walking tamales
• Instant Refritos beans
• Rice packages ready to eat
• Thai kitchen noodes
From time to time I will waste a dehydrated meal, but they are expensive, so I try to keep that to a minimum. I am optimistic that I can continue to find good options as we continue north.
I have also learned a lot about how much I need to eat. I have not lost too much weight, and I would like to keep it like this: eating enough calories every day can definitely be a challenge. Protein is a great priority for me, so like many protein bars. When I am in the city, I try to eat comprehensive foods: salty, fruits and anything fresh. That said, if there is gluten -free pizza, I am getting it.
Gear
In general, I have been very happy with my team and I have not had to make too many changes. (You can check my original changes if you are curious!) We had some problems with our store zippers, but the manufacturer sent us a restored tent and now works very well.
My favorite piece of team? I definitely BIG AGNES RAPID SL Sleeping pad. It is not ultralight, but it is so Comfortable compared to other pads that I have used in the past. I still love my ULA CIRCUIT Package: It has been super durable. I could try a different package after the path just to experiment, but I have been very happy with this.
Lessons learned
• Most people are friendly.
In regular life, I tend to keep my guard instead of strangers. But here, they have reminded me again and again that most people really want to help. Whether to make hutop, meet the angels of trails or connect with other hikers, the kindness of strangers is a large part of the experience of the path. That said, I still trust my instinct, if something feels off, I hear.
• I am strong.
I really never thought about myself as Atlético … but I think I am now. I am in the best form of my life: it is normal for me to provide more than 20 miles a day. More than just physical strength, I have also become mentally stronger. Of course, I have probably cried 50 times here, but I have overcome some really difficult situations (such as that ray storm in the mountains). My favorite mantra during difficult times: «This is only temporary.»
• Listen to your body.
Everyone walks their own walk. The fact that someone goes faster does not mean that you are doing it wrong. I learned to find balance, sometimes you need to take a break, sometimes it feels good to strive.
What follows?
California is enormousBut we are so close to crossing Oregon! Chowder and I have decided to try to accelerate the rhythm: we are aimed at avoiding zeros until we reach Oregon, and we are working to increase our daily mileage.
I will continue blogging as we advance, and I just want to thank all the following and encouraging us. Your support means the world for us!
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