Day 143, ~28.1 miles!!

I woke up early this morning, partly because I was so excited to hit the border and partly because my pillow had deflated completely underneath my head. Either way, it was time to go! I hit the trail by 7am. 

There are certain people that I’ve hiked with in the past where I’ve had fast-forward dreams of they and I finishing together. Julian was the first, I miss you bud! And then young Happy and Trout. And then Manza, and lastly the group that I had hiked with for about a week in Washington. But alas, there I was alone, charging up the mountain! Just like how I started, and just like how I’ve been so many times, lost in my own thought and energy. 

I thought I would think of things of an epic sort today, that I’d have revolutions about my life or what I should do after this hike. But honestly, I just thought about what I always think about; Everything and nothing at once. I did math; I found out that this hike this year has taken up 1/68th of my ENTIRE LIFE thus far. That’s 1.4% of my life. There was no music today, no podcasts. Just me and my thoughts.

And horses!

I did get to see some horses and pack animals in the morning which was a cool way to start the day. It snowed on me a little, and then a little sprinkle of rain here and there. The fall colors were gorgeous and I tried to take as many photos as I could on my last day on trail!

I eventually got off the alternate and back onto the PCT. Knowing that this would be the last time I would have to bushwhack on a low use path to hike around a fire felt SO great! The PCT was wide and inviting and graded well. The miles flew by.

I came across a huge slate ridge. I had my head down focusing on my feet and the narrow path ahead, knowing full well that a slip and/or slide would be bad news. Something caught my upper peripheral, and I liked up to see something running towards me. It was a marmot! It was full on running towards me as fast as he could on the trail. It threw me so off guard that I actually stopped dead in my tracks. It continued charging and I reared up... “Do marmots attack people?” I thought. It stopped about 6ft in front of me. Looked at me quizzically, and only after I said “Hey marmot!” our loud did it scurry uphill and sit on his observatory rock. So crazy!

Looking back at Marmot Ridge

Amidst the sprinkling snow and the tall peaks like the one above, I finally started descending down. I knew that every step I took after each that was before it would take me further out of the pristine mountains and the place I’ve grown to love so much over these past months. I stopped and turned and said “Goodbye”. It was time to end this great escape; it was time to go home.

Suddenly full of energy I bolted downhill like a madman! Nothing could stop me. Fatigue and weariness were nonexistent, and only excitement remained. I checked Guthooks on my phone, I was less than two miles away! The beautiful fall colors gave me one last amazing show just before I hurdled down into the thicker forest.

I can’t outshine these leaves!

The last hour or half-hour or whatever it was flew by so quickly! I turned to go down a switchback when the forest opened up in front of me and I could see the borderline! 

Everything to the left of that thin line is WA and everything to the right is Canada! 

Oh my gosh I can’t believe how close I was! Now zooming down the last few switchbacks I was barely looking where I was going, just searching for that monument! I saw a couple hikers sitting to my right and realized I was there! To my left was the most beautiful sight for these sore eyes!

CANADA!!!!!!!!

Rocky from Hungary was there along with Pabst and Power Mode, and Pirate! After hugging the monument for a good 10’secomds, I had Rocky take some pictures of me!

Strong to the Finish!! (Dad bought Claire and I these shirts in 2016, and I carried it up from

Mazama for this moment)

I can’t believe it!! I’ve walked from Mexico all the way to Canada!! Oh my goodness! No words or text can describe what I felt, so you guys will just have to believe me when I try and explain; this is the most proud but humbled and strong but tired and huge but small and invincible but thoroughly exhausted that I’ve ever felt! What a range of emotion!

It started to rain just after these photos, so I sat down under some cover and popped open my border beer which I also packed out from Mazama. As I was sitting and talking to the other hikers, Mougs rolled in! 

4/20/18 - 9/14/18

It was so neat to finish on the same day as someone who started on the same day as me! Yeah Mougs! Cardboard and Meegan were close behind, and everyone got their pictures taken and we celebrated our great feat!

Pabst with probably the best finishing pic ever!

At about 3:30pm I decided I’d better get a love on towards Manning Park. I thought I’d be totally dead but I had so much energy! I ran up the next hill that goes up for a few miles, and then down for a few, ending our hike with 8.5 “bonus” miles after we’ve already finished. This was a time for music and distraction as my wet and soggy legs and feet pounded their way towards the fabled hot tub!

Thank you Canada!

Haha, not closed for US!!

Made it!!

I checked in at the lodge for a $40 room at the hostel. No more cramming on the floor and sharing costs with 3-4 other hikers, it was time to live in luxury! ... Well sort of..

Hanging my rainfly and socks to dry in my tiny room

I went to the restaurant at the lodge and had poutine and a huge baby spinach salad! My two strongest cravings of the last 50 miles! Then it was off to the hot tub where I was joined by Pirate, Rocky, and waaaaaaay too many super loud kids! (Like 20+ no joke). It was ok, we made it! Our hike was over! I was stuffed from a great dinner, my legs were soaking in a hot tub, and life couldn’t be better! 

Pirate (70 years old!)

Older Happy

I realized that there’s been some people that I’ve talked about recently but that I haven’t taken pictures of! This is me purely being lazy. But here’s Pirate and Happy (taken at breakfast the next morning). I really wanted to get a picture of Rocky because I’ve run into her so much recently and she is really cool, but I forgot to the night before and she didn’t eat breakfast in the restaurant in the morning. 

The next day I hitched for about 6 hours to get to Seattle, and then I caught a Bolt Bus back to Portland. I have a feeling that I’m going to have some reflections and stats and other miscellaneous things to write about in the near future, so stay tuned! 

My goal was to hike 2,650 miles in under 150 days. With all the fire alternates and extra side trips, it was closer to 2,700 and I did it in 143 days! (148 if you count the 5 “off-trail” days I took when Claire came to visit. Still under my goal!) Whoo!! I’ve done it! I don’t know what else to say besides a super huge, genuine, from the bottom of my heart, extra extra big...

🇲🇽Thanks for reading!!! 🇨🇦