Official Approval and Civilization Checklist +0 mi

I got approval from the PCTA! It happened on Wednesday. My permit is now signed on my desk at home, ready to be carried for 2653 miles. Next steps involve buying a bunch of gear and continuing to improve my fitness level.

That's a short post on its own. I wanted to add something else to it, and my friend Max gave me an idea recently. After I finish the trail, I'll pretty much be going back to work ASAP. After the AT, I had a few weeks in order to re-acclimate to civilized society. So he suggested that I make a checklist for myself, for when I get back. Future Matt (PG'14 still?), here's what you'll need to do:

• Stop eating so much. Even though food is *everywhere*.
• Cook in ways other than boiling.
• Smell like soap. People think soap smells good.
• Ignore how everything smells fake and/or like food.
• Take showers. Like, every day. With soap.
• Do laundry. With laundry detergent.
• Wash your hands. With soap. Water is clean now. You don't need to filter it.
• Don't touch dirt. It's dirty.
• Don't wear the same clothes two days in a row.
• Don't take off your socks in public.
• Keep your shirt on in public.
• Don't take your pants off in public, even if you have shorts under them.
• Take off your jacket inside. Completely inconsistent with the pants rule, I know.
• Don't drink any caffeine for a few weeks.
• Adjust your sleep schedule slowly. An hour after sunset is a fine bedtime.
• Take breaks from screen time to stare at things far away.
• Go exercise. It won't just happen. Hiking is a good option.
• Make time to be alone. It won't just happen. Hiking is a good option.
• Carry earplugs. Civilization is loud. Especially cars.
• Be quiet inside. People are nearby. 
• Don't sing to yourself unless you're alone.
• Don't make noises when you stand up or stretch.
• Just say no to social engagements. You're not ready for big groups yet.
• Stand close to people you're talking to.
• Talk when you're with people. Silence is weird. 
• Don't talk about national politics. You've almost avoided the 2020 season. 
• Nobody cares about your hiking gear anymore. 
• Share anecdotes from your hike. That'll cover small talk for a few weeks.

Past Matt

PCT Hike Schedule +0 mi

I just applied for my PCT permit! That means I can start approximately planning out my trip, now that I almost have permission to hike. My trip will start at the southern terminus of the PCT on 5/16, assuming that my application gets approved.

To all of my friends who live on the West Coast, or who are willing to travel there: Want to meet up with and/or host me while I'm hiking? I would greatly appreciate company, food, a place to shower, and a day or so of rest. Want to hike a section with me? That would be even better.

Based on my leave of absence from work and the vacation days I've been saving up for a few years, I can take 4.5 months to do the hike. (Yes, I still have my job at Silicon Labs after the hike. Silicon Labs is an awesome company. Did you know that we're hiring?) 4.5 months is on the shorter end of average, based on the PCTA's estimates. I'll be able to hit my targets as long as I start the trail in good shape and don't have to wait out bad conditions, due to something like a major forest fire. If I can't complete the trail in the time I have, I'll go back to work and come back another year to finish off what remains.

For scheduling, that means is that I'll be traveling 20 miles a day on average. This includes rest days, so my average on days when I'm hiking will be closer to 25 miles a day. I won't hit that number like clockwork, but instead will go faster or slower as the terrain and my body dictate. I hope to stay within a week of "on pace" at all times, but the trail will provide its challenges. (And if you come join me on trail, I'm happy to hike at your pace while you're with me.) My blog posts from here on out will all have my speed relative to this itinerary, so +40 mi will mean that I'm 2 days ahead of schedule, and -100 mi will mean I'm 5 days behind. I'll be +0 mi until my start date.

Do you want to meet up? Check out this PCT map, and turn on the Waypoint location type in the gear-icon menu. Then find the most convenient places for you to come see me, and do the math on how many days it should take me to get there. If you want to come join me, do the same, but also check to see whether you will need permits to hike the sections you want to hike. If you want to meet up, I would ask you to be flexible either with location or with the date. If you want to hike a specific part with me, I can't guarantee when I'll be there. If you are buying plane tickets and want to hang out with me for a specific weekend, then I don't know exactly where I'll be at that point. I'll make hard plans about a week ahead of time as I go, and stick to those plans from there.

Some example locations, approximately the start of each month:

5/16 - 20 miles: First night out after the southern terminus
6/1 - 340 miles: Crossing I-15 north of LA
7/1 - 940 miles: Tuolumne Meadows Campground on Hwy 120
7/30 - 1520 miles - Crossing I-5 near Dunsmuir
8/31 - 2160 miles - The Bridge of the Gods on I-84 outside of Portland
9/30 - Back in Boston, remembering how civilization works

You'll be able to follow my daily progress, thanks to the magic of the Spot GPS tracker, which will have a website that I will try to check into each morning and night. I'll share the info once I get it set up. The Spot has a separate functionality built in for emergency response, and I will use that if necessary. (But obviously, I hope not to.) Don't worry if I miss a few regular check ins. There are plenty of reasons why I might not check in, ranging from a low battery that I'm conserving for a real emergency, a lost or broken tracker, and simple forgetfulness. If I don't check in for a while, I'm aware of it as much as you are, and I'm working to update you as feasible. The PCT has much worse cell coverage than the AT, so it's possible to get more than a week of pure radio silence. I'll again defer to the PCTA here for an explanation. (To those who care about my safety: Yes, I will have a person I contact at each resupply. Yes, I will set dates to next resupply, including clear definitions of when I count as late. No, you are not the person who should be taking any action, but thanks for caring.)

To those who are interested in meeting up: Let me know! Tell me about any weird scheduling constraints you have, like caring about the difference between a Saturday and a Wednesday. Between my 20 mi / day plan, my updating live tracker, and the occasional blog update, you should have a good idea of whether or not it's possible. As we get closer to the actual date and time, we can set up more concrete plans. I can't wait!


Matt "Am I still PG`14?" Wismer