Solitude

I enjoy hiking alone, but when I finish hiking at the end of the day, I enjoy some social interaction. I can entertain myself for hours with music, sermons, and recorded radio program like "This American Life" on NPR. I also like to sing, preach, and quote scripture while I hike! But when I come to a full stop at the end of the day, the solitude I enjoyed throughout the day becomes more like loneliness and I crave the ability to share my day with someone. It is amazing how having someone to chat with during dinner or while sitting around an occasional camp fire in the evening can cheer me up and encourage me to get up and hike again the next day.

I have never been very good at keeping a journal while I hike but on this trip I will be trying to write a daily blog post to be uploaded whenever I have internet access on my phone. I hope that pouring out my thoughts and feelings in my blog will help me when I am alone and don't have anyone to personally share with.

I have talked to my previous hiking partners and none of them are available to hike the PCT with me this year. (I can't understand why more people aren't interested and/or available to hike for five months.) The information I have read online and in guide books suggests that it will be fairly easy for me to make friends on the trail and find others who are hiking at a similar pace. I hope so... I am looking forward to both solitude and the camaraderie of other hikers and trail angels as I hike the PCT. Keep calm and hike on.