Thru hiking is a magical and transformative experience indeed. But it ain’t all roses and butterflies as told here: 101 ways thru hiking the pacific crest trail will piss you off Here are my top ten picks from the list!
10- Backtracking. (Having to backtrack for any reason whatsoever, usually because you are lost or left your trekking poles, is infuriating.)
*This totally sucks and when people ask how many miles did I hike I feel like I should add in the “bonus” backtracking miles.
9-$100 hotel rooms that don’t allow hiker room sharing. (You can’t blame them, but ouch.) * Come on, I just want a shower & I promise not to wash my tent in the tub.
8-Being in a trail town longer than you want to for reasons beyond your control. (Like snow. Or sickness. Or the damn post office hours.)
*I dream of getting town and all I will do (shower, eat, etc) I get there and can’t wait leave!
7-People thinking you’re homeless. (I mean, you are. But still.)
6- Hitchhiking. (Bears? No problem. Mountain lions? Not even a threat. Getting into the back of a truck with a couple of drunken maniacs with an “I’m Your Bitch” bumper sticker? Unnerving.)
*I’ve had my share of sketchy hitches. But hey they gave me smokey treats! oh the stories!
5-Obsessively thinking about anything. (“What am I doing with my life” and relationshit issues seem especially aggressive.) Realizing at noon that you’ve walked about 4 miles less than you thought you had. (that math thing)
*Obsessive thinking /math kicks into high gear immediately after my mp3 batteries die. Agh!
4-Getting skinnier than your hip belt can cinch.
*When I was overweight I used to dream of my “ideal” weight. When I dropped to my “ideal” weight on the trail, it was a bit scary and not so ideal.
3-Missing something really cool happening in a loved one’s life. (Can’t you schedule your graduation/marriage/baby/art opening around my thru-hike please?)
Seriously let’s plan more things in the winter/off season, no?
2-Food portions. (The whole “serving size” designations are a fiasco of deceit. There is no way there are 4 servings in a box of mac and cheese. No way. And since when is a hamburger under half a pound?)
*me on trail: 4 portions, give me another me at home: Omg I ate 4 portions!
1-Sunscreen, Deet, and daily handfuls of ibuprofen. (You know it can’t be good for you.) * With an iodine flavored cocktail wash it down! Do the vitamins I take, off set this?
wandering chardonnay 