Monthly Data Update (M-1; 30 days)

Distance traveled on PCT: 631 mi / 1015 km

(actual distance traveled would be about 10 miles more for misc activities)

Total time: 280 hours

Total ascent: 117,830 ft / 35,915 m

Total descent: 115,912 ft / 35,330 m

Highest point: 9407 ft / 2867 m

Average distance/day: 21 mi / 34 km

Average time hiking/day: 9.3 hours (incl Zero days)

Average pace: 2.3 mi/hr (or) 3.6 km/hr

Number of Zero days: 1

Number of Nero days: 4

Number of meals eaten that I hadn't carried on my back: 15 (out of a total of 90)

Number of proper showers taken: 7

Number of animals seen: 1 bear, 10+ snakes, thousands of lizards, birds & other insects

Number of items lost: 1 beanie, 1 filter bag cap

Number of items lost & found: 1 pair of sunglasses

*Lessons learnt* :

- As my friend & mentor, Mark, says: always check and double-check the spot where you have stopped, even it is for a short time

- I am not an Ultra Light Backpacker. However much I want to be, I like the margin of safety & my comfort too much to be one 🙂

- Per my friend & running buddy, Vijay: I have got excellent training for Ultra Running now...eating, drinking & walking!

- Humanity is underrated - there are lots and lots of good people all around us

Comments

Kusum said…

Truly there are still angles in the world. You are experiencing it first hand!!

May 20, 2022 at 12:37 AM

Aam Aadmi said…

Ravi, it has been a month for you and every Saturday morning I go through your updates. Your posts teleport me to the great outdoors better than any Nat Geo documentary. You will have stories to tell from some time and I look forward to hearing them all.

May 20, 2022 at 5:22 PM

Why you shouldn't (or should) thru-hike the PCT? (D-115: 2592.1 - 2613.1 - Nero @ Mazama, D-116: 2613.1 - 2642.6)

Over the last 116 days, I have had plenty of time to think about what's good or bad about this thru-hike and just in case, one of you is thinking about doing a PCT thru-hike, here are my thoughts about why you shouldn't or should do it. Why you shouldn't do a PCT thru-hike - It is very tough physically and mentally - There is less than 50% chance that anyone starting it will finish - Almost everyone seems to have negative physical effects including weight loss, muscle loss, days & days of tired legs & feet etc - You will definitely get scratches, bruises and cuts, if you are lucky. If you are unlucky, major sprains, muscle tears & other hike-ending injuries. Btw, most people who stop do so 'cos of injuries. - You will trip & fall down multiple times (when the avg number of steps is 50000 - 70000/day over uneven paths, the law of large numbers takes over and some of those steps will lead to falls) - It is an expensive activity, with a bulk o...

Gratitude (D-114: 2577.8 - 2592.1 - Nero @ Mazama)

As the last town day on the trail ends and a few dozen miles left to the end point, I would like to speak of gratitude. Every so often on the trail, there are moments of "why the heck am I doing this?" and that's when I have to compel myself to remember that this is an option and an opportunity given to me. I am fortunate enough to be able to hike on this trail for a long period, which is essentially a vacation (albeit, a physically & mentally demanding one). Not everybody gets the option of taking such a long vacation from work, family and other commitments. It may be a cliche, but I am full of gratitude for this. I am also deeply grateful to a bunch of people who made this hike possible and I would like to use this post to mention those people. Ravin & Deepika opened their home and hearts so that I could do all the preparatory work before the hike. They were generous to a fault and I used (& perhaps, abused) their generosity. Even during the hik...

Wind, constant wind & Trail Provides (D-4)

Finally the hike thru the "real" desert - as I had imagined it - happened today. No trees at all, only shrubs, cacti, dusty, wide flat vistas and absolutely relentless wind that almost never let up till the late evening. The wind was so strong in the second half of the day that it even literally pushed me uphill sometimes. The extra backpack weight seemed like the only thing that kept me from being blown here & there 😄. One good thing about the wind...it made the day seem cooler. And wind/sun way better than wind/rain. I have been drinking water from 1 liter bottles that are kept in the side pocket of my pack. Unfortunately they are not easy to access and I have to carry a bottle in my hand when I need to sip it frequently. This is a pain! So, I had decided to buy a thin tube at the next town in a few days and insert it into the bottle cap to make a flexible straw to make my life easier. However, this afternoon, I came upon the water cache ...

A thru-hike attempt

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