Washington Day 8

Day 8: 12.5 miles hiked

Today we woke up to this beautiful sunrise. Our tents were wet and it was very cold this morning so we started the day a little later than usual. The plan was to get to water 10 miles later and have a snack there and regroup. I was the last one out of camp by about 20 minutes from the first person to leave.

Today was a very easy terrain day, but my hip started hurting within the first mile regardless. I pushed through and did some of my massage techniques and rehab stretches I used to do before. It helped for a half mile, but then the pain came back even worse. It started to feel like the grinding of my femur into my hip ball and socket joint, sharp shooting pains going up my leg. And then my foot started to hurt again from back in the desert.

.... I knew in that moment my hike was done this year. I cried a lot in that moment, and on and off the rest of the trek to that water source. I was limping. I decided that music would be out and that I would push through and think about all the wonderful things on the trail right this minute and tried to keep myself in the moment for those last few miles I had of the PCT. Every 10 minutes I would check to see how much more time I had. I didn’t want this to be over, but I knew I was done. I spread some of my grandma and grandpa’s ashes in front of Mount Adams before I left. I sat down and cried. I got up and screamed. And then I kept going. When I arrived to the water source I saw my tramily waiting. Once I got closer to them I smiled weakly and then said I was done, and immediately broke down and cried with them. I received hugs from all of them, we chatted for a bit about my decision and they all gave me encouragement and love. I am truly going to miss these people, but I will be cheering them on from the sidelines and I know when I come back next year they will be there cheering me on too 💕

My tramily walked the last 1.5 miles to the road I saw crossing the PCT where I would get my hitch from. We played games along the way, keeping me from crying and getting me to laugh and laugh for those last moments.