Why I decided to hike the PCT - Lindsay

In early 2022 I finally gave in and made an appointment with a dermatologist to get a spot on the back of my arm biopsied, after many months of pressure from those around me. I went in, nervous, but not really thinking much about it. A weekish later I received a call from my dermatologist informing me that the biopsy came back as melanoma. The rest of the conversation was a blur as I couldnt believe what I was hearing. I made a full body scan appointment with my dermatologist and hung up the phone, in utter disbelief. A week later Craig and I were back in the dermatologist, so many questions going through the mind and at the same time nothing at all. Luckily, there were no other spots found during the exam. I was put in contact with an oncologist to schedule an appointment with and figure out the next steps. That was one of the most nerve wracking parts since it then became more of a reality that I had skin cancer. After meeting with the oncologist we decided to do a complete biopsy of the area and remove some lymph nodes to see if the melanoma has spread. I was able to schedule the surgery for about a week later, feeling extremely grateful that everything was moving so quickly. The surgery was successful and i found out a couple weeks later that the melanoma was not found in the lymph nodes! Everything came out as good as it could but it made me realize how quickly life can change. It is not worth waiting for the "perfect"time to do something. The best time to do anything is the now since that is what is guaranteed.

The medical scare was one of the main driving factors in finally thinking of doing a grand adventure, that is not the only reason why I have decided to hike the PCT. For something of this magnitude with what I can imagine will be the most physical, emotional and mentally challenging times I have experienced, a why is necessary . The why is what will keep you going on the hard days where you want to quit and motivate you through all the ups and downs the trail has to offer. 2650 miles is a long time and I am assuming that there will be a few times where I am questioning why I left the comforts of "normal" life and chose to be backpacking. The following are things I will be reminding myself on those days.

One of the most obvious whys is experiencing the breathtaking nature that I have the privilege of being immersed in. It will be amazing venturing through the desert (which may be lush this year), the snow packed high mountain Sierras, and the beautiful Pacific North West. These are all areas that have been on my list of places I want to explore and seeing them by the power of my own two feet will make it that much more magical. Not only will I be hiking through these amazing areas, but we will be "living" in them for 6 months and I cant wait for that!

A huge reason I wanted to take on an adventure of this size is to gain more confidence in myself, trust myself in difficult situations and step out of my comfort zone. I am taking on something that I have never even came close to doing before. I am excited to step out of my comfort zone and learn to believe in myself in decision making and realize that I can do hard and uncomfortable things and grow through them.

There are many other reasons I am hiking the pct, the last I will mention is going on this adventure with Craig. We bonded through the love of outdoors. Living in a tent and the need to communicate well will bring us closer together.

Leaving my family, quitting my job, packing away everything I own and backpacking for six months is a huge commitment. There will be hard days on the trail but reminding myself why I chose to be out there will be crucial.