After a walk it is before a walk.
When I returned from the PCT in September 2023, I tried that I returned to the life I lived before. But soon I gave myself and began to plan. By deciding what paths walk, I came up with what I call my «master plan»: two years of consecutive Truehikes, some more, some shorter.
PCT 23: Who would want to return to this lifestyle?
Maybe I stay with this plan, maybe I stop other opportunities and take advantage of them.
With all this flexibility in planning, I had to leave my job. I am a primary school teacher and I really love my work. I taught at the same school for 10 years, located in a picturesque valley, having close friends as colleagues and enjoying a lot of working with children. Deciding to leave this school has been difficult. I let my director and his colleagues know him from the beginning, and then let the children gently into the news.
Of all of them, I experienced sadness, but even more interest, which really honors me. For months, children have been presenting new fun questions about my next walk. And every Monday, colleagues and children received me with a «I’ve been thinking about you, because …» followed by an adventurous story of its weekend.
Money cannot buy happiness, but it surely helps through
Returning from the PCT in 2023, it was quite broken. So, as soon as I could, I increased my regular lessons and took substitute lessons if possible.
I kept my low expense, and finally, I released my beautiful apartment that I had called home for 7 years. In the process, I sold and gave most of my belongings. I have never been a minimalist person, he was a «Cosy-Hobbit-Den» person. I used to have an overwhelming amount of hobbies that I was passionate about (Hello, ADHD!), And all accumulated material, tools and projects.
It was radical to let the rent take care of my life to this point and treat my other interests for this obsession. But he felt absolutely well.
So I dispersed my previous life, just to pack a handful and moved to my friend’s garden shed in January.
A simpler life
During the first two months, he put himself well below most of the nights. My garden shed was not isolated and had a great draft. I had no access to water, but electricity, without heating, and decided not to use an electric heater, since it would have been a waste of energy. I did not fight with that; It was still much more comfortable, warmer and drier than the snow camp in the mountains with 10 ° F (-12 ° C). But it is difficult to get out of the shed at 5.30 am every day and still look at the teacher’s part and not as the garbage of the grumpy hiker.
But I got used to «throwing life», I loved the time I spent with my friends who organized me there.
And in my typical «Hobbit-Den» style, I hugged the rustic charm and made sure that the shed was absolutely nice and cozy. As soon as the sun began to come out before, the mornings in the shed became magical.
Dawn of the shed.
My daily life had moved more outdoors again and I loved it. A simpler life, without losing the crunchy of the morning, the squeak of the birds at 4 am, the strong storm, the strong breathing of the neighbor’s horses, the show of pink sunrise.
This not only helped me save a large part of money in just 6 months. It also helped me to keep the course when packing my safe life was overwhelming, what I often did.
I would do it again in the blink of an eye.
Taking care of
In my last blog post, I wrote about how excessive training after the trail with insufficient recovery left me exhausted, injured and little fed.
After admitting myself that my behavior towards training and food had become problematic, I had to change to allow me to walk again. First, I had to recover and eat properly. This meant that it would increase weight. I did it and it wasn’t an easy process.
People would try to comfort me by saying that everything would go on the way. I will surely do it, but die of hunger and exaggerate on the road will not be a healthy solution for my relationship with my body and my food. I will have to address this issue in therapy and really reach it. But until then, I concentrated on obtaining all my nutrients while I was in civilization.
I started taking several supplements and adjusted my refueling strategy. As a vegetarian, high quality high quality protein powder and green juice in my bouncing box and would send more refueling boxes along the way than other hikers. I want to be able to feed my body with good things, taking care of myself.
Good enough
Due to my lesions due to excessive use, regular cardiovascular training was no longer possible. So I focused on physiotherapy, acupuncture, yoga, additional strength training and training walks.
I especially concentrated on stretching my plantar fascia, calves, hamstrings and back, as well as strengthening my fingers, ankles, knees, abductors, hip flexors, buttocks and nucleus.
On training walks, I tried to try my new team in authentic conditions. I obtained a new tent, sleeping bag, backpack, custom -made templates and some different clothing from the PCT.
How would they endure during extremely steep climb and descents, in cold and suction crests, or during the exposed camp? Could you walk with Colorado confidence with this team?
For my last solo walk before the CDT, I chose a specially steep region of the Swiss Alps. I was in the beak after the beak for three days, really testing the limits of my injured Achilles and the planting fascia. They stay well and felt incredibly relieved.
The places of the camp were incredible and the only inconvenience was that the jeans camp could not camp. I love sleeping so much under the stars that I didn’t even try my new store in the 8 months since I bought it! But I felt vertically happy as soon as I dragged my new sleep system in my new refuge. This felt at home and was ready to go on the next long path!
Incredible place in the camp on my last Shake Down walk in the Swiss Alps.
But for some reason, I obtained many blisters on my feet, both on the fingers of my feet and in my heels. I was walking with my beloved altas, my feet were accustomed to my templates, and yes, my feet got wet several times, but they dried quickly. On the way home I checked the statistics of the walk again and compared it with the statistics of the Montana del CDT section, then the Colorado section, then the general average of the CDT.
It turns out that I have been averaging 3 times more elevation gain and mile loss than in any section of the CDT.
After months of slow progress and frustration during psychotherapy, this gave me a very necessary impulse of trust.
The last two turbulent years had affected me and I wasn’t in the way I expected. But I was still in good way to leave!
Goodbye, dear friends
In most of my training walks, I went with friends. The closer to my departure, the bitterness turned those occasions. Sometimes we try to ignore it, sometimes we talk a lot about the next separation.
More and more hard hugs, some tears, murmured excuses.
Capboy camping with a friend on our farewell walk together
I have incredible friends here in Switzerland. We are so close. Everyone supports my plans and dreams. Some assumed security responsibilities for me, some lent me clothes, and others could even come to visit. Everyone gave me their time and hearts and offered me a place to sleep at any time.
Saying goodbye was hard, moving and beautiful and sad. This time, we don’t know when I will return.
Goodbye, the best school
The last week of school was also difficult. This year, I taught 5 different classes.
The farewell gifts of the children took me to the tears daily, since every day I had to say goodbye to another class. The extent to my students from 9 to 13 years old understood the importance of through my life was surprising and moving.
I finished each lesson with a brief talk with each child.
«It was a pleasure to meet you and teach you. I wish you all the best on your way.»
I can’t even write these words without crying.
If any former student of mine ever decides through walking, they have a committed and too proud path angel in me, I keep it.
Suddenly, my key chain was completely empty.
Goodbye, dear family
My family’s first reaction to my plans was shock and fear.
But they were: «But you have walked your PCT, why can’t you settle again? to «We really expected that our Alps could be enough for you.» to «We understand his love for nature and we will try to support him as much as possible.»
They are afraid and they would like to be content with smaller adventures, closer to home and closer to them.
But in these 2 years since my return on the PCT, they learned to understand my longing. I could see how much effort they got to understand me and not stop and this made us approach.
And in a beautiful and unconditional way, they began to support my crazy and irresponsible dreams.
Fortunately, a family wedding only 3 days before my departure was a happy occasion, with many farewell hugs.
I am very grateful. Without my parents’ practical support, I would not have been able to pack my life so quickly and carefully. I am very grateful for your understanding.
And again, all this made him say goodbye.
Like everything in life, freedom has a price.
When I finally sat on the plane flying to Seattle, I summarized for myself: I paid for sure and farewells.
Paying the price leaves me uncertainty and tears. But also courage and love, so much love.
I am writing this on the Seattle train to East Glacier, next to the northern terminal of the CDT.
The day dawns over lush meadows and endless forests.
Golden Dawn in Montana.
Good morning, Montana!
