PNT Section 7 – North Port to Republic

PNT Day 27 – An Unexpected Zero

Zero day, no hiking – mile 400 North Port

I wake with the plan of going back to sleep, but when Bookworm tells me there’s coffee I know I’m up for good. They’re hiking out this morning while Starman and I will be hanging back for a zero. I’m afraid this is finally the end of our little trail family, though the trail may have surprises in store for us yet. However, my left ankle and foot are swollen from what I’m guessing is an aggravated case of peroneal tendonitis and it’s causing me pain when I walk. Even though I’d rather be hiking I’m forcing myself to sit today out and rest.

As zeroes go there are worse places to be stuck. We have a free place to stay and Josh and Jami are endlessly gracious with their home. And North Port is a small and quiet enough place that I won’t be tempted to wander around during the day. So as Bookworm shoulders their pack and head out I plop my butt down with an ice pack and get to resting.

PNT Day 28 – Grinding

Mile 400, North Port to mile 422.3

The road climbs mercifully gradually as Starman and I work our way out of North Port. The sky sits heavy and grey over a dense green forest hemming us in on all sides. Today is another day of making progress towards a goal, grinding along, leveling up, working our bodies as we have and as we will continue to all the way to the Pacific Coast.

PNT Day 29 – Late Night

Mile 422.3 to mile 444.2

The wind whistles discordant and ominous through trees which jut into the sky, a forest of grey skeletal fingers. Just after we enter the burn left by the 2015 Stickpin fire the trail disappears beneath a pile of blow-downs and with it our forward momentum. The next three hours are more reminiscent of an obstacle course than a hiking trail as I am forced the shed my backpack countless times in order to crawl under a tree as the sun arches low towards the horizon. Discouragingly, through unsurprisingly, our planned campsite is a deathtrap, ringed with dozens of trees just waiting to come tearing down. We are forced to push on over and under blow-downs into the night, the sun glowing red on the horizon. Finally, after the last of the light has left the sky we arrive at a campground beside a road which has mercifully been cared for and is free of dead and scarred trees. We sleep without even putting up the tent.

PNT Day 30 – Grateful

Mile 444.2 to mile 460.3

Today I genuinely thought about quitting the trail. Surrounded chest-deep in blow-downs it occurred to me that I could simply turn around and walk back to the road we crossed this morning, hitch into town and be home by the end of the week. I thought about what I would be doing if it weren’t climbing over innumerable blow-downs while dripping sweat, how I’d have to go back to the gym to train for our October Nepal trip, how I’d still be planning meals days ahead of time and then being disappointed by what I’ve purchased for myself, how I’d be sleeping in my own bed and sitting on my own couch. How I’d be giving up the challenge of this trail and how, in the end, I’d be disappointed in myself for quitting.

But I’m also grateful for what this trail is giving me, and I think that without the challenge I would not have the joy and personal fulfillment that I find out here. So instead I began to think about what I’m grateful for on this trail. I’m grateful that even though I’m slower Keith hikes at my pace so that we can hike together. I’m grateful that I have a body that, while far from perfect, allows me to come out to these places and pursue these ridiculous things. I’m grateful for the food in my bag even if I’m sick of eating it, and I’m grateful that I have a handy map that shows me where all the water is. I’m grateful for the friends that I’ve made out here and the new people I’ve met along the way. I’m grateful for the generosity that the people in the towns along the trail. And beyond that I’m grateful to myself for trying, for putting in the effort and showing up every day, even when it sucks, even when I’m tired, even when I think about quitting.

PNT Day 31 – Laundry Goblin

Mile 460.3 to mile 473.7, Republic

We do 14 miles and 2,800 feet of gain before 2pm. It’s strange, I know that statistically I am getting stronger but it still feels hard. It’s not getting easier, I’m just doing more and in fewer hours of daylight. Nights are coming earlier and earlier and we’ve lost at least an hour of daylight since we hiked late on the first day of the trail. But today we’re getting a hotel in Republic, WA and so we got on the trail early and are cruising this ridge into town.

When we get there Bookworm is already in town! And we all pile in to a hotel room where our packs immediately explode their contents across the room to dry and clean. There always seems to be another chore in town and while I’m grateful for this break I’m already looking forward to our next planned zero in a few days time. The biggest chore of the day is laundry, which Keith generously volunteer. Upon his return he finds Bookworm and I outside in the hotel patio/parking lot. We then proceed to hang our wet clothes around the patio of this admittedly very quiet hotel. But I still felt a little self conscious. Still, it was definitely better than wear-drying my clothes and sometimes when you spend this much time tramping in the dirt, you become a bit of a goblin.