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Red Rock Canyon (Nevada): Frozen waterfall

My name is Dale, and I've decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The PCT is a trail that stretches from the border of Mexico to a few miles into Canada- totaling 2,600+ miles. Hiking the PCT from start to finish takes about 4 to 6 months. Each year 300+ people attempt to do a Thru-Hike (hiking the entire trail in one outing), and about 180 complete the journey. My start date is less than a month away (April 24). I am excited & nervous all at the same time. I feel like a kid the night before Christmas. "Santa knows where we live right?"

I've sacrificed a lot to do this, but to pursue a dream you must sometimes make hard choices. I've only told a handful of friends and the reaction has been about the same- "Wow. Are you serious?" My reasons to do the hike is more than the "because it's there" response. I feel that I need to reconnect with myself, nature, and God. The last several years I've been adrift in life, and now I've come to a point that I need to find out what do I do next. Almost reminiscent of the Young Guns movie where they are lost and have to eat peyote to figure out their next move. That's me- minus the peyote. =)

I've always loved the outdoors when I was a kid, but life in the big cities kind of takes away the connections to the natural world. So my goal is to immerse myself into the back country & enjoy the journey ahead. I am not intending to blaze through the trail, but want to take my time and absorb it all in. Maybe then, I'll know what comes next for me when I am done.

If not, I know it will have still been an amazing journey.

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