When someone tells you they are going to quit their job, leave their family and friends, leave everything behind to put on a backpack and walk from Mexico to Canada, it begs the question Why?
In truth, most people actually seem to avoid asking me why I'm attempting this and instead they say something like I'm so jealous or It's going to be amazing. Am I the only one who thinks this entire endeavor is crazy?
If you, or someone you know, is going to attempt thru-hiking the PCT or some other long distance trail, please ask why. Hold them down and make them explain if you have to. I'd bet money that they don't have a good answer.
I ask myself why all the time. Daily, in fact. I rationalize some ridiculous answer, something that I know that I'll believe at that particular moment in time. And then I do it again, and again, and again. Each time making up an answer that I know I'll fall for.
What an idiot.
So, if you ask me why, I probably won't have an answer. I might make up something you'll believe, or something I'll believe, or something else entirely. How I answer is entirely dependent on how likely I believe you are to hold me down until I produce answers.
So, why then? I don't really know — I really don't.
I just know I have to do it.