PCT Prep 9: What it is Like to Struggle Before Starting Something New

The Pacific Crest Trail is a daunting adventure, stretching 2,650 miles (4,265km) from Mexico to Canada. While my partner Seth plans to complete its entirety; I plan to hike the longest dog friendly stretch that spans half the country. We will walk 1300 miles with the great company of my dog, Chloe Rue. While this hike will begin next summer in 2023, Chloe and I have begun to take strides (literally) to improve our strength and endurance for the undertaking! Do you want to learn more about our planning? Keep an eye out on our Pacific Crest Trail series as we dive into our physical, mental, and dog-knowledge training program to help prepare us for this grand adventure.

This is the LAST BLOG in this pre PCT series- because when you will be reading this, I will officially be on the trail! Wahooo!!! If you are interested in my posts about preparing for the pacific crest trail, check them out right here.

There are a few things about backpacking for 6 months that are extremely difficult, physically and psychologically. Physically, no income for almost 6 months will definitely take a toll on every human being who uses money as a tool. Psychologically, the stresses of being a dog mom of two, the strangeness of having a long distance partner, then the rather powerful feeling that you are leaving everything behind you- it’s not easy. In fact, the HARDEST part of the entire trail is the mental component. I’ve heard it said time and time again that it is not Northern California, nor the “Green Tunnel” where people give up on the trail. It is getting to the starting point.

On this last blog post before I begin my journey, I just want to highlight that there is a little bit of a struggle, before starting anything new. I am there, and feeling it. I think everyone has maybe felt that before. I know as a traveler, I feel it before and after every single assignment. It is exciting, but also scary, to walk away from something, and into a new situation. However instead of going from working, to working, I am going from society, to wilderness. Now, if you’re nervous about something, this is what I told my niece about roller coasters- just count to three (1… 2… 3…) and GO for it. (Can I just magically appear at the trail head now?)

I also love to listen to the apt advice, quoted in the Harry Potter series, by Hagrid himself. “What will come, will come and you will have to meet it when it does.” Now I am not going to be taking down Voldemort with my magical powers. However I do have to wait for what is to come, and that is so hard. Yet, it will happen.

Traveling Again

One thing I haven’t talked much about is how much it costs to… well to be a Suzanne. I have SO many dreams, so many goals and then I just CAN’T stop going on adventures. I’ve been fortunate to learn a lot about negotiating pay rates while on travel assignments, and my last permanent job was matching my pay as a previous traveler there; which definitely helped. While on my opinion, money isn’t EVERYTHING, it is definitely a tool that has to be used wisely. With keeping a down-payment aside for my dream of having property, taking travel assignments was the best option to help me make more money until the time came for my hike to begin. 13 weeks around the Columbia River Gorge and 6 weeks back in the Willamette Valley was a welcome way to help save money so I could take a few months away from work in order to hike the PCT.

Camper Life

The financial side of things also inspired me to return to camper life. I was hoping for a truck camper (not necessarily a bright red one, but you know, life just works that way sometimes) and when a great deal popped up on Marketplace, I knew the investment would be saving me so many funds in the end. So Lil Red popped into my life, and I began to save 2,000$ a month. I did pay cash for her, however I would break even before trail time, and that was enough of a push for me.

I really do love living small. Even though I occasionally feel homeless, and long for a piece of land that is my home; I LOVE the challenge that 14 square feet being my home, brings. I went to the container store and collaborated on ideas for drawers, space saving concepts for cupboards. I had my family and patients tell me AWESOME organizing methods, and ways to make it cheap and cute from dollar store digs and cardboard boxes.

It is just a reminder to me, how little I need to be happy. Joy doesn’t come from what is inside a home, joy comes from connections you make… unless your home contains 2 dogs.

A Girl and Two Dogs

So after I saved extra cash by traveling and moving into Lil Red, I dropped Seth off at the Mexico border and began my journey as a dog mom, of 2 dogs. One of whom is a CRAZY Australian Shepard. 🤪 I love her, and I think this time together where we have done a lot of training, walking, and our attempts at biking have created quite the bond between us (though I don’t think she’ll EVER be mud free after spending this time with me- that girl can have a bath every day and still be covered from head to paw in mud).

My favorite thing about Chloe and Freyja is how ostentatiously opposite they are from each other. Chloe does enjoy her company, but we give ourselves a break from her energy once a week and to be perfectly honest it is usually welcome for us both.

Chloe has been doing GREAT on the bike. We had a little gap in our training after transitioning to Lil Red, because I had no idea how to haul a bike around after the truck bed became my home. We finally learned about fold up bikes and we LOVE it. Not only do I get to use it for work on lighter days (I just bike to my home health patients who are all in the same town and save on my diesel), but Chloe does wonderfully running alongside it. We’re at 7 miles of running, with time being our biggest barrier nowadays. Freyja also needs exercise and it’s just too hard to bring them both on the bike (really even on walks some days).

I do have to say, Sniffspot has been a LIFESAVER during this transition from one dog, to two. This app provides private dog park experiences where you can bring your dogs to run and play on private property. You don’t have to worry about other dogs potentially being poorly behaved. We’ve done SO much training this way and the girls have made great strides!

Though I always like to tease Freyja for her high energy and constant goofiness (where Chloe is very chill and usually looks so serious) she does miss her dad. She snuggles up and gets confused when we’re in McMinnville. I am SO excited for the moment when they reunite (SO SOON) and they don’t even know how excited to be that they get to go on one of the longest dog walks, in history.

Fun fact, the PCT is not actually the longest dog walk in history. The longest dog walk in history was a doggo named Savannah- who walked for SEVEN YEARS around the entire world with her person. THIRTY EIGHT countries! Now, I am inspired. That is amazing and I bet Savannah is such a good girl.

6 Weeks with No Partner

As far as how I am doing without a Seth around- well I am finding just a lot more time on my hands! I had a new book idea and am almost done with it, have done a ton of training, cleaning, and preparing for being out of society for months. While I definitely miss seeing him, I have been so lucky to be able to text or talk on the phone more than weekly. Southern California does have better cell reception than much of the trail, and for that I am grateful.

I think it’s actually hardest to be with his dog, when I know she is missing him. She’s very sweet, and clingy, and sometimes will just go sit in the corner of the camper couch and just stare at the ground. It’s absolutely heartbreaking. I am so lucky to be able to give her lots of love and pets, and I hope she understands that she will see him so soon.

Sierra Update

Many hikers are worried about the Sierra Nevada snow levels this year. I know I was, to the point where I took a whole class about saving people in the snow. We did officially decide to save the Sierras for last. Seth and I plan to meet at Old Station, California and hike all the way to Canada, then go back, south bound, and end with Mt. Whitney. I’m sure we won’t be the only ones with this plan, and am SO grateful I won’t have to say goodbye to Chloe anytime soon. By the time we go hike the Sierras, she will be looking forward to a welcome rest time at her doggy friends place. AND it means Freyja will get to see her Dad MUCH much sooner.

Well this pre-PCT life has been amazing. I am spending my last week at the Oregon Coast, just absorbing some sunshine and waves with the girls. I have done a lot of writing, and it feels incredible to spend time clicking away on the keyboard in an enjoyable way! Seth is running just a few days behind, which means I get to enjoy a big BANG of a goodbye with friends at the Superbowl of paintball tournaments. Gear is ready, boxes are mailed, mother day gift is put together- now it is officially, officially time for the trail.

I am officially, officially SO nervous. I do think it was better when Seth had to move out, drive south, pack his gear and was working non stop every second in between prior to leaving for the trail. He said it was overwhelming, which, I TOTALLY can see that. Having time to write, rest, and be in some sand has been very therapeutic, but I have packed my bag probably 16 times now? I have not been very good at resting, and instead I’ve been finishing my book and getting blog posts all ready. The PCT will be something new, and it is definitely a struggle to get there. However, noone said for a single second this journey would be easy. So it is time to do the hard thing, and walk away from Oregon, from Lil Red, from my friends, and my family for a little while. It is time to walk toward myself, toward my dreams, and to spend time figuring out what is next for me. It is time to laugh with my good girls, meditate every day and just BE in nature. Let me just say, I am SO excited to share this time with you!

Thank you SO much for reading! Stay tuned by subscribing below. Have you ever stepped out of society for a long amount of time? What is one thing that surprised you, or that you learned? What do you want to hear in my blog while I am on the trail? In the meantime, many happy trails and happy tails to you all.

Barking Embarkers