[pct-l] Things that helped.

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

On Mar 12, 2010, at 10:12 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> The PCT Hikers Handbook by Ray Jardine 1992.
>
> Colin Fletcher Thousand Mile Summer

Hey Iceaxe, my strategy was similar.

While I had never hiked the PCT before, I read Ray's PCT HIkers  
Handbook, too. At first read I thought his ideas were pretty crazy,  
but as far north as Washington, when I would try something he  
suggested or fail at something because I didn't try what he  
suggested, I would think to myself hey, he was right. (I know he  
wasn't the first for some of his ideas but his book lays them all out.)

I read a lot of Colin Fletcher, too. He gave me an appreciation of  
the desert and a desire to do a solo adventure, although I struggled  
to keep reading after he killed the snake.

Going light really worked for me and that is why I am so adamant  
about it. At my hiking weight, I weigh 125lbs. A 60lb pack would be  
ridiculous for someone my size or smaller. My pack was easily 10 or  
more pounds lighter than the previous year. I easily walked an  
average of 10 miles a day further with a lighter, happier step. I was  
astounded and joyous at my ability to walk so far. Within a week I  
was regularly hiking close to 30 miles a day. I kept up that pace  
easily, hiking 25-35 miles a day all the way to the end. And this  
time 30 miles felt easier than 25 did last year.

Other things that worked for me:
- Writing the water report as notes in my Data Book so that I would  
never lose the water report or fail to look at it
- Trusting the trail to have water when I needed and trusting myself  
that I could get to the next water. Worry wastes a lot of water.
- Emergence-C joint health formula and Crystal Light Hydration
- A positive attitude, focusing my attention on how trail magic was  
providing everything I needed
- Not going home even when it seemed like forward progress was  
impossible
- Accepting that some parts of the trail would not be completed this  
year and that the important thing was the adventure, not the purity
- Flexible shoes that allowed as much of the full range of motion of  
my feet as possible--no motion control
- Asking others for help (all I asked for is if I could tag along  
through a dangerous section, no assistance needed, I just didn't want  
to be alone.)