If you do one long-distance trail in your life, do the PCT…

… that’s what a German triple crowner said to me on the Camino de Santiago. Which is funny, because the PCT was the reason I was even doing the Camino.

While in my first blog post I talked about how I (probably) first learned about the PCT and the concept of thru-hiking, I didn’t really go into the “whys” and “whats”. What was it that made me feel drawn to this topic? Why would I want to experience it myself? And finally, what made me decide to actually tackle it?

Intriguing

When I first learned about the PCT, I was immediately intrigued. By what, exactly? By walking over 4000 km whilst carrying everything you need yourself? Absolutely! The concept of being able to cover such a great distance on foot, just by taking one step after another after another after another. The concept of minimalism, of reducing your belongings to the point where you can carry them on your back for hours and hours every day. And, most importantly, the fact that all of this is doable, as proven by all the people who’ve done it before.

Approach

I quickly learned that the PCT is not the only long-distance trail in the US. My internet research also led me to the AT (Appalachian Trail) and CDT (Continental Divide Trail), to name but two. I also learned that there are countless long-distance trails in Europe. But most of them just didn’t seem doable to me. I didn’t have the hiking experience, equipment, money, time, and – most importantly – courage to tackle any of them. But the thought of doing something similar just didn’t leave my mind.

Camino

That’s how I discovered the Camino de Santiago. I used to think that only old religious people did the Camino (and now I’m very ashamed of that prejudice!). It is a pilgrimage, after all. But I could not have been more wrong. As I intensified my research, it became clear that people of all ages, backgrounds, and motivations set out on the Camino. I came to the conclusion that it was the perfect place to start my pursuit of “many steps and few things”. So I bought some gear, started walking regularly, and indulged in all kinds of Camino content available on the internet. I took 3 weeks off to do the Camino Portugues from Porto in Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and ended up walking further on to Finisterre.

I started my Camino in Porto, Portugal.

Growth

My Camino experience was great. I took one step after another, one day after another. I carried everything I needed. My routine was more or less reduced to “walk, eat, sleep, repeat”. I took a break from social media and connected with fellow pilgrims in real life. I still remember my first day, when I struggled to walk more than 15 km or start a conversation with anyone. And my finishing days, when I walked more than 30 km every day, and felt grateful for all the people I got to know along the way. It was the first time I really appreciated my body for what it was capable of (rather than criticising it for the way it looked) and realised my potential for personal growth.

Longing

The Camino gave me a sense of accomplishment. I knew I wanted to take this experience to the next level at some point. I guess it was more a question of when, not if. My mind kept wandering back to the “starting point” of it all… the PCT. I was telling people about the PCT, but at the same time wasn’t brave enough to admit to myself that I seriously wanted to do it. The PCT was (and still is) so much bigger than the Camino, in every way. So much longer, higher, further away. So much more to prepare, to carry, just more things to consider altogether. And, most importantly, it takes so much more courage to tackle it. At least for me.

Why

So why, for goodness’ sake, do I want to thru-hike the PCT?

I want to prove to myself that I’m capable of something exceptional. I want to challenge myself and get out of my daily routine. I want to feel appreciation for my body and my mind. I want to experience something with intention and intensity. I want to get to know myself better and experience personal growth. I want to take time and space to reflect on what I want in life. I want to feel alive.

An inscription in Italian I saw on the Camino which can be loosely translated as “Have a good journey and don’t be afraid”.

So here I am …

… about to embark on this adventure I’ve been dreaming about for so long. It took me quite some time to build up the confidence and courage to get to this point. But once the feeling of “I will regret not having tried” was stronger than that of “I’m scared to try”, there was no doubt.

P.S.: A triple crowner is someone who has successfully hiked the entire length of the three big US trails I have already mentioned: the Appalachian Trail (AT), the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), and the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).

P.P.S.: Yes, I’m still measuring distance in kilometres. I know that may have to change once I’m on the PCT 🙂