Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Hiking Rainier?


Can you believe?  Not enough hiking on the PCT?  Today Freestyle and Debbie hike Rainier.  Sore feet?  Oh yes, that was yesterday.  Is the NW beautiful, or what?  Zowie!






Home Again, Home Again!


I departed from the USA mid November 2011 for New Zealand and the Te Araroa Trail.  After completing the Te Araroa, a flight to San Diego, US, put me onto a new adventure of the Pacific Crest Trail.  Eleven months of hiking.  I completed two thru-hikes for approximately 4400 miles of tramping in eleven months.  Home looks really good!

Freestyle back in Seattle
The Space Needle delivered 700 vertical feet in 30 seconds.



Beautiful  Seattle's waterfront changed in Freestyle's 11 months away

The Finish, Finish!


Manning Provincial Park. Cold, tired, sore feet, aching backs, happy and ready to get back home.  Five long months of oatmeal, rice, beans and dried fruit.  Also, five long months of beauty, challenge, excitement, friendships and lugging a pack.  Life's regret and pleasure colliding at Manning Park.

Freestyle at Manning Provincial Park

Thru-hikers waiting for bus back to the US after completing the PCT 

The BC Border Finish!

The PCT from beginning to end!

Freestyle begins the PCT in California at the Mexican border near Campo, on a hot May 6th day!

Freestyle at the Canadian border, October 4, 2012, on a freezing cold day!

Bags & Freestyle after 152 days of PCT hiking.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Day 151


Burning the trail, headed for the finish, among the burning leaves.  Beautiful fall day in the North Cascades!

Freestyle

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

HOTT


~ Hiking for Health ~ 
 ~ Get your Heart on the Trail ~



Heart on the Trail continues to collect money as my steps bring me to the close of the PCT.  Manning Park, BC, the last step in my PCT 2012 adventure, is near at hand.  Please help others find health through exercise by contributing to Heart on the Trail.  All contributions will go directly to the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the American Heart Association.  Please go to the HOTT site, click on the heart and make a contribution to PayPal.  Or, write your check to Heart on the Trail and send directly to Whidbey Island Bank, Langley Branch, Post Office Box 665, Langley, WA 98260. 

Thank you for your generosity.   Remember heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity can all be improved with walking and exercise!    

Day 149


23 miles.   Hiking the last few days of the PCT, 2012.  Stehekin to BC includes Rainy Pass, Harts Pass and into the Pasayten Wilderness.  The last section of the PCT is Section L, Rainy Pass to Manning Park, BC.


Headed into Stehekin

Day 148



27 miles.


Biggest mushroom ever with
Michigan Wolverine

Day 147


21 miles on PCT Section K.  I hiked this section in 2011 so I'm feeling very much on home ground.  I can almost smell and feel my Whidbey Island home.

A very dry year!
Washington - returning home via the PCT, 2012
Your contribution to Heart on the Trail, connecting the dots between exercise and our hearts, would be greatly appreciated.  Get your Heart on the Trail!  Thank you!

Day 146


26 miles.

Headed north from Stevens Pass
The PCT offers beauty with each mile


WooHoo!


Freestyle at 2500 PCT miles.
Heart on the Trail

Day 145


Depart Stevens Pass with Bags.  11 miles.  Krissy is a PCT south bounder we met at Stevens Pass.

Bags, Krissy & Freestyle

Day 144



Finished PCT Section J with Dad.  9 miles by lunch and completion of 72 mile section.
Congrats Dad!


dbDad

Day 143


12 miles.  dbDad still kicking!

The PCT's studding Beauty!

Day 142


We took the low altitude route but did 22 miles.  Go Dad!

dbDad still having fun on the PCT

Day 141


18 miles

Brutal but beautiful terrain
PCT 2012

Day 140

10 Miles.

dbDad & dbBrad (Freestyle) on Kendall Katwalk
A PCT highlight even in pea soup!

dbDad still appearing to be having fun at end of first day!

Day 139

Barry and Brad (Freestyle), father and son, take off for PCT Section J - Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass, 72 miles.


Brad & Barry

Day 138


22 miles.  Boring section south of Snoqualmie Pass in regenerating forest.  


Freestyle

Day 137

30 miles.

Tacoma Pass in WA on PCT 2012 with smoke from one of the many fires this year

Day 136

12 miles

Big Crow Basin

Day 135



Thanks to Debbie and family for trail angeling!
27 miles

Panorama from Chinook Pass