For some reason, I never published it. I'm not sure why - maybe because it seemed like I was trying to steal a little of their thunder too soon. At any rate, here it is as a "retrospective".
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I guess it's for real; the relentless march of the blue dots has ceased, for now at least. I sat in my office again today as I have for the last 3 months and hit "refresh" on my browser every 45 seconds or so. But this time the "current position" arrow was stubbornly stuck at Belden. I know that along with me, somewhere Carla is weeping. :-)
I have no doubt that Liz and Melinda will finish the trail as section hikers, but I don't think they can eclipse the 3 month journey that they just concluded.
In the summer of 2013, Liz decided she wanted to do this thing, and that Melinda was the right partner. She put together a full proposal including a Power Point presentation, complete with music. :-) Melinda hesitated for all of about 30 seconds before she jumped on board.
They started out with 18 months of careful planning and prep beginning in August of 2013.
The adventure began even before the hiking did when they set off a border patrol sensor with a wrong turn in the car on the way to the southern terminus on April 14, 2015. It continued when they touched the border wall and headed north.
In the first 300 miles, they crossed the most extreme elevation change on the trail, 8000 feet of relentless descent followed by an equal climb in a total of less than 60 miles. The descent itself would have been the end of the road for mere mortals. Liz's feet went through the ringer and she had blisters on blisters on blisters. Over the course of the trip I believe she lost 9 toenails. But rather than quit, they took 10 days for healing in the LA area (Thanks Bill and Kena!) and went back at it.
They crossed 700 miles of desert in all, including one stretch of over 35 miles with no water, carrying up to 6 liters (over 15 lbs) of water with them in the driest portions.
They conquered the notorious Section H in the Sierra Nevada with Forester, Glen, Pinchot, Mather, Muir, Seldon, Silver and Donohue passes. All are over 10,000 feet high, with Forester topping out at 13,200.
Liz measured a temperature on the desert floor of over 100 degrees. Overnight temperatures were often well below freezing and they slept with their water filters to keep the delicate mechanisms inside from being damaged by being frozen solid. They hiked through thunder, lightning, rain, and 1/4 inch hail. And wind. Lots and lots of wind.
They encountered 4 rattlesnakes, billions of mosquitoes (I'm sure it felt like it), boatloads of marmots, lizards, squirrels, chipmunks, birds and not a single bear. (Except the mama and 2 cubs they encountered on preparation hike.)
They met hundreds of fantastic people, including hikers who couldn't have possibly been more different in their day to day lives but were united in their quest to cover the miles. And the trail angels who watered, fed, transported and housed them out of the goodness of their hearts.
Liz's body gave her clear signals that it was time to stop just before Tuolumne Meadows. Having lost 15 pounds and finding it difficult to take in enough calories to fuel the adventure, she felt weak and decided to stop at mile 942 on June 20.
Melinda almost stopped in Tuolumne with Liz due to stubborn soreness in in her left lower back. She had also lost 15 pounds but was able to keep the calorie count up and felt strong, so she decided to give it a go solo. She pushed on for another 3.5 weeks, including a long stretch featuring much of that thunder, rain and hail. But the weight loss continued and the muscle spasms in her lower back just moved from from the left side to the right. Her right foot began to swell, she missed her hiking partner and her family and she decided that she too was done. After covering an additional 267 miles on her own, she left the trail at Belden; PCT mile 1284.
I'm sure I'm biased, but I especially admire Melinda for taking on this challenge. She was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis a couple of years ago. It was especially bad in her hands and she had some in her knees as well. I think her RA doc thought Melinda was nuts when she heard about the trip, but they worked together trying different meds to find the right combination. (Xeljanz plus Methotrexate) The doc now wants her to write about her experience from the point of view of someone living with RA, something I hope she does. It's an inspiring story.
It's impossible to convey how much I admire both of these women for what they have accomplished. They are an inspiration not only to their husbands and sons but also to the scouts in our troop, their friends, families, church families and I suspect anyone else who has read this blog.
I should have let Liz and Melinda have the last word (for now), and so they shall:
From Liz:
"I've had such an amazing 2 1/2 months. I've seen such beauty that
God has given us. I've met so many interesting and fun people on the
trail and I've been blessed with so much trail magic. I've learned to
overcome fear and push through pain.
2 1/2 months
940 miles
Two pairs of shoes
9 toenails lost
1 broken trekking pole
600 pictures.
Thank you to everyone who has supported and cheered me on.
The journey's not over, I plan to finish it in sections. Want to come?"
From Melinda:
"This has been an amazing journey. I've learned a lot about myself.
What I am capable of, and not capable of. I've seen parts of this state
that not many people have seen. Beauty beyond words. The barren
mountains and deserts of Southern California. The drastic contours of
the High Sierras. The silence. Mostly though I have seen a side of
people (thru hikers, trail angels, complete strangers) that is even more
beautiful than the landscapes. That has had the biggest impact on me.
Thank
you to all my family and friends, and Liz's family and friends, for the
support you have given us along the way. And thank you Liz for getting
me to go on this crazy adventure.
Keep an eye on this blog. Who knows when there might be notes from the trail again.
I don't think of the PCT as a obsession, but as a calling to experience and enjoy the simple pleasure of just being."
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