[pct-l] Post PCT

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

I think it is different for everyone, and different for the same  
person who does it more than once.

I met Frodo in Old Station and she said that the people who do best  
with the transition have something to go back to.

Some friends on the trail had to go back to work the day after they  
got home and they reported that it was the strangest feeling, as if  
the whole PCT hike had never happened and was only a dream.

Most people suggest taking some time to transition back. Things in  
the regular world will seem odd. I was reminded to bathe a couple of  
times. Cars move too fast. People talk too loudly and about stuff  
that doesn't matter. I couldn't handle my type of work right away  
because it takes too much brain power and concentration. It's hard  
not to overeat. I've tried not to overeat and yet the pounds piled  
back on anyway. I think it's because on the trail your body thinks  
you're starving so no matter what you do, your body's going to hoard  
everything it can in case you start up again.

I hiked two summers in a row. After the first summer my feet were  
injured (that's why I went home) and I spent about 6 weeks walking  
around town barefoot to heal them. It actually worked. It took until  
almost the anniversary of when I left the Mexican border before I  
felt 99% back to normal physically. I met another woman who said it  
was about the same for her.

So far after this year's hike I am still physically a mess. Lingering  
injuries to my feet (different ones this time around) and generally I  
just hurt all over all the time. I went to the doctor and there's an  
elevated enzyme indicating muscle damage. Not sure what that means  
yet. I  will probably be told to settle into my chair and drift off  
to the black hole of normal American life. A fate worse than death.

I'm left with a lingering feeling that this "normal" life is  
completely wrong, 99% meaningless and pointless and that most things  
people are so concerned about are not important. If the whole oil  
crash scenario were to happen, I would be cheering it on. Finally we  
can go camping permanently.


On Feb 27, 2010, at 12:51 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> Hey everybody,
>
> I was wondering what advice the veterans of the PCT have about what  
> to expect post trail. I'm sure it's different for everybody, but  
> what can one expect as far as physical and mental recovery time?  
> Any helpful tips as far as the best ways to make a smooth  
> transition back to the "real world?"
>
> Thanks!
> Flyboxer