[pct-l] What do you guys do for money?

[Palomino]

I'm a high school Earth Science teacher. I always turn down
opportunities to work summers, opting to hike instead. This has
allowed me to walk a little more than 3,000 miles on the PCT, do a
couple of laps on the TRT, explore the Yosemite backcountry, and roam
around my "neighborhood" trails from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara. I
have a master's degree in Geology and a CA credential in Geosciences
and many years of experience, so I'm on the high end of the teacher
salary scale. That still doesn't compare to my schoolmates who chose a
career with Chevron, but for me, time is more valuable than money. In
my 60th year, I have cut back to teaching two classes a day and that
feels about right.

That said, don't become a public school teacher just to finance your
hiking jones. It's a big commitment and it's psychologically very
demanding. If I didn't take time to myself on the trail, I would have
burned out long ago. I think of my career as service to my country and
I think of the trail as my holy reward.

Jim Ostdick
Palomino
San Juan Bautista, CA