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Daniel and Sandra on the Sentiero Alpino Calanca

Today, I officially, hooray, begin writing with my journal. My
journal shall document for you, my dear reader, and for my future
self what I will experience during the following months of
preparation and, sometime from mid April on, on my hike on the PCT -
the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. In short, the PCT is a
continuous hiking trail starting in Campo at the Mexican border near
San Diego, CA, going all the length of California, Oregon and
Washington to the Canadian border near Manning Park, BC, covering
about 2600 miles; for detailed information on what the PCT is,
please, visit http://www.pcta.org (the website of the Pacific Crest
Trail Association).

I am so curious to know what I will see, smell, hear, feel and f
experience on this hiking trail passing through high mountains, lone-
standing volcanoes, dry and hot desserts, cold streams, dense old-
growth forests and other vast wilderness areas wealthy with flowers
and wild animals. I am so curious to meet my future fellow hikers, to
chat with new friends and to become part of the trail community.

However, to even have any chance of maybe and hopefully reaching
maple-leaved Canada eventually, proper preparation is crucial. Today,
I could take a central step in my preparation. I met Andreas Kramer.
He and Kathrin have successfully and with enthusiasm thru-hiked the
PCT in 2000. He is an inspiration! I am thankful to know now much
more about the touch and feel of the PCT, gear considerations and
also more on how to find a balance between having a chance to see the
full length of the PCT, but still to indulge oneself in nature's
abounding beauty. By the way, if you feel like reading a first class,
first hand account of their journey, get his excellent booklet
written in German (available directly on his website, http://
www.XLphoto.net).

So, that is my first journal entry. A big hug goes to my beloved
wonderful wife Sandra who offers me moral support and encouragement
for such a dream. I now, in happy eagerness to start hiking my
hike, continue with my preparations of determining a suitable
resupply strategy to get enough calories to eat, deciding on how many
miles per day seem feasible to hike, selecting gear being not too
heavy to carry nor unsuitable for its intended tasks and
incorporating enough exercise in my daily routine. Thankfully,
journals of previous PCT hikers, the guide books, the data book,
Yogi's book, pct-l, the class 2008 email list on yahoo and some own
experience will help me making educated decisions. Let's see how my
choices will prove their worth!

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