[pct-l] After the hike

[Laraine Downer]

Diane,
   
  In response to your request, I want to say "Just go for it, the trail happens." 
   
   I "discovered" the PCT almost 20 years ago when I was (only) 45. Just the thought of a path that kept on going fascinated me and I proposed to the group of women I was hiking with that we should try it. Only one responded that she found that an attractive idea so she & I section-hiked the trail (took us 15 years but we got there!) Then in 2000 I attempted a solo thru-hike and made it from Campo to Tahoe. This year I'm again doing a solo thru-hike and plan to join the "herd" at the ADZPCTKO because I love the comraderie and energy.  (I plan to get in a couple of days ahead on the trail but found from my 2000 experience that people get spread out very quickly and I never found crowds to be a problem). I love solo hiking because you're free to hike at your own pace, buddy up with others when you wish and be alone when you wish - all without rhyme or reason. The ebb and flow of people is amazing. I hiked at the "tortoise" pace, yet a couple of times caught up or was ahead of
 those younger and faster - and we could never figure out how it happened.
   
  I've described hiking the PCT as "a wonderful club where all it takes to join is put on your backpack and start walking."
   
  As far as life afterwards, it's hard to be specific. For me along the way I got in touch with an old dream of wanting to go to college and actively wondered if that was really possible. To make a long story short, I found that it was and was accepted at a women's college, lived on campus and in four short years experienced receiving a college degree just this past May. (It was great fun regaling the younger women there with stories of life on the trail, they all thought that I was something amazing. I hope that I inspired some of them to get out there and experience what a trail has to offer.)
   
  I feel the trail experience continues to affect and inspire me in many ways and I hope to touch it in one way or another for many years to come.
   
  So you've got my encouragement, just get yourself out there and see what happens. 
   
  Laraine
  "La de da"
   
  and here's a paraphrased thought that I read somewhere years ago:
  A trail is a wonderful way to organize earth and sky.
   

Diane wrote: It probably comes across as a silly question, but you see, I have wanted 

to do this hike since 1975. Through a series of synchronicities it has 

occurred to me quite suddenly and recently I  don't need to wait anymore.

 I don't know why exactly I have wanted to do this for so long. I  

don't think a year has gone by that I didn't think about it. I was  

only 10 years old in 1975, too, so I've been thinking about it a long  

time. I'm getting excited about the afterwards part. I WANT it to  

change my life and fear that it won't. Also, since I'm relatively  

old, that's why I'm hoping to hear from people who aren't right out  

of college (unless you went to college old like I did :-)

 

I want not only hazy spiritual answers, but some concrete answers  

too. I'm working on specific questions (such as were I to do x  

afterwards, I should check out y during).

 

I learn a lot hearing from other people's experiences. Most books and  

journals are written during. Few talk about the years that come  

after. What happened then?

 

Also, I'm thinking I won't do the whole thing all at once. Maybe I  

will do all of California and leave Oregon and Washington for the  

future. I don't want to burn up my big adventure too fast. I want to  

savor it. I've lived most of my life with this dream, I want to keep  

a little piece of it alive. At least that is my thinking at the moment. 

Thank you for your answers. 

Diane

       
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