[pct-l] the entire distance in one go

[Scott Williams]

And this all comes under the really big banner of "Hike Your Own Hike" and I
don't mean it in a trite way.  I have loved the years of backpacking and
section hiking I've done since I was a kid, but the experience of blasting
out those miles on my thru hike last year was wonderful.  It was a whole new
experience for me to do this month after month in the most beautiful
mountains of the West.  Exhilarating, exhausting, enthralling, and
ultimately very natural, it was the greatest adventure of my life.  I hope
to do it again because it was so much fun, and hit some really deep chords
in my modern day, nomadic roots.  I wanted to finish, and loved the push and
sweat, drudgery and excitement it took to accomplish that.  But, going back
and doing Washington again this year at a slower pace was also incredibly
fulfilling, and I know that long section hiking is something I'll continue
to do for the rest of my life as well.  Having the time to talk to the thrus
and then let them all pass by with their hearts and minds intently set on
Manning Park, so close, but with no real goal for myself was freeing and
just as fun as the thru hike had been, just different.  I got to share their
excitement and then go off and follow a backcountry ranger for half a day
because he was a great guy.  I had the time and predilection to play.

I don't think leaving trail has to be seen as a negative, and I helped
several people this year come to some deep personal places of acceptance
over this issue when they had to leave trail.  It is natural to feel it as a
failure if the goal has been large in your life during the preparation and
training, but then you need to come to a bigger picture personally, seeing
your accomplishment, whether it's 100 miles or 2,000.  Doesn't matter, it's
all great!  And as has been said before, this trail is going to be there for
the rest of our lives, beckoning for a bit more adventure in beauty, a
new thru hike or a section hike.  It's not one way or another, it's
whichever way is your way.  And it may take some psychological flexibility
and self acceptance to come to that.

Shroomer