Chasing the Alpenglow

Category: PCT 2024

  • 20 miles and a revelation

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    Casey
    in

    I groggily swiped at my phone, trying to snooze my alarm. It was already 4 am, and I was supposed to get up and leave for the trailhead in 30 minutes. I didn’t have much time, but I didn’t care. I turned the alarm off, knowing another was set to go off in another 10…

  • 20 days to go: assembling meals and training

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    Casey
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    General update I’ve been busy. I’m nearly 100% done assembling my meals, but the last stretch has been mentally challenging—assembling 120 packages of the same thing! Luckily, my Dad was over for our weekly Tuesday night hang-out and suggested making a large batch and then portioned out into individual servings. I resisted because I worried…

  • 29 days til start: Food Prep

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    Casey
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    When you start doing an activity, you realize what an enormous undertaking it is. I’ve been thinking about this trip for quite some time. In my mind, I told myself food prep would be challenging, but it’ll be fine. I’ve done this for all my trips, except that you can easily make a week’s worth of meals in…

  • 30 days til start: What is the Pacific Crest Trail

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    Casey
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    First, it’s incredible that I only have 30 days until I will be AT THE SOUTHERN TERMINUS! That is incredible, and at the same time, it still doesn’t ‘feel’ like anything major. I remember reading Wired’s countdown blog posts, and I thought they were an amazing way to introduce and bring people into her world.…

  • The first 5 weeks

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    Casey
    in

    We are nearly complete with the first round of rewards! The reward that I chose is the Coros Pace 3 smartwatch. To catch you up, in early December 2023, I realized that I should reward myself if I stuck with the requirements I gave myself at the beginning. There would be three sets of 5…

  • The end of 2023…

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    Casey
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    The past year (well, the past 2 years) has been packed with ups and downs. It all started with a twisted ankle on a later winter’s day hike. Thus setting the stage for rehabilitation and then a search for custom orthotics and new shoes. Here’s a timeline of the changes March Twisted my ankle April-May…

  • I have an idea

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    Casey
    in

    21 weeks to go. Well, not quite, but 21 is significant because that is the remaining time I have for training, allowing me some downtime before my departure. As I previously mentioned, I have not been on a walk for six days (6 days). I did, however, make it out for an afternoon walk yesterday.…

  • I’m letting myself down

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    Casey
    in ,

    First off, I am failing miserably at my training. I haven’t been on a walk for about six days now. I’m reading/planning the PCT when I should be out walking. Not all is lost; at least I tell myself I can get some walking in during my lunch hour. So there’s that. Let’s see if…

  • Permit Day

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    Casey
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    It’s permit day! This is when getting out on the trail and embarking on this momentous adventure becomes real. Up until now, you know it’s coming, but it doesn’t feel real. You’re talking about it and probably have been talking about it for quite a long time, and even longer, you’ve been thinking about it.…

  • 2024 PCT: Ramblings

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    Casey
    in ,

    It’s October 11th, 2023, just after 6 am. I just watched a video from a lady I’m following on YouTube who documented, or at least started to record, her journey on the PCT this past spring. She left the trail after 1800 miles, primarily due to foot issues but also because she felt “done”. Reading…