PCT: Family Interviews

As a way to get everyone to summarize their PCT experience we came up with a set of interview questions that we all answered. Does this capture all of our feelings about the trip? Not even close, but I think it’s a decent snapshot of our experiences.

What was your favorite thing about the trip?
Waterboy: This is tough. There were so many awesome things that we experienced. The top of the list for me would be the family time, followed by the friends we made and the time spent outdoors.
Blue Lizard: I can’t pick a favorite, but the top ones were family time together, all the new people and relationships, and time in nature.
Rockhopper: Being in nature and sleeping in the woods.
Bat Boy: All of the fun we had on trail, especially the last stretch with Manny and General.

What was your favorite section of trail?
Waterboy: For pure scenery I would say the Goat Rocks Wilderness. For overall enjoyment I might go with the day we hiked with Mom Cut and AKA into Mike’s Place. I don’t know why exactly. Maybe it’s because it was our first big day, but I also think it was the first time we really got to know and bond with our fellow hikers.
Blue Lizard: I can’t pick a favorite. There were too many that I really enjoyed. Everyday had parts that I really enjoyed, except maybe after Tehachapi when the redundancy of the desert set in.
Rockhopper: The Sierra because they were really cool and they weren’t the desert.
Bat Boy: The section heading into Julian. I really like all of the cactuses.

Did the trail teach you anything about yourself?
Waterboy: Yes. I’ve always been family first, but I didn’t realize how tough it would be to try to pivot from a family trip to a solo trip in the middle of it. I thought I’d be able to hammer out miles on my own for long stretches, but quickly learned I’d rather hike with my family.
Blue Lizard: Yes.
Rockhopper: I learned that I do eventually feel homesick.
Bat Boy: No matter how small you are you can do great things.

What was your toughest day on trail and why?
Waterboy: My worst day on trail was easily my last day in Northern California before I jumped to Portland. It was a mix of things. I was missing the family but was also dealing with triple digit temperatures, a half dollar sized blister on one foot, full sun exposure, and a stretch of trail that crossed a lava field. All in all it sucked.
Blue Lizard: The day we did Glen Pass when I realized I couldn’t continue hiking was the worst. I didn’t want to come off trail and deal with the post-trail crash that I experienced the last time we took time off trail. The day into Whitewater Preserve was rough, and so was the stretch heading into Kennedy Meadows when my feet were miserable.
Rockhopper: Baden-Powell and the day afterwards. Baden-Powell was cold with steep uphill and downhill on snow. I was homesick the day after Baden-Powell.
Bat Boy: Baden-Powell because it was freezing, our gloves didn’t work well, and the trail went up steep snow.

What do you think you’ll remember most from the trip?
Waterboy: The family time and the friendships we made along the way.
Blue Lizard: The realization within the first couple days that we could do this, barring injury. All of the people who helped us along the way.
Rockhopper: Finally getting to the Sierra because we finished the first big goal and made it out of the evil desert.
Bat Boy: The fun D&D games and all of the incredible views.

Did anything on the trail surprise you?
Waterboy: The kindness of strangers. I knew about Trail Angels and trail magic before we started, but didn’t grasp how much help we’d receive from complete strangers over and over again.
Blue Lizard: How fast we made connections with people and how willing strangers were to help us. It happened over and over again and was surprising how many people helped us.
Rockhopper: I didn’t expect to see as many people as we did.
Bat Boy: What it’s like to be in the heat of the desert.

Do you want to come back to get the rest of the miles we missed?
Waterboy: Absolutely
Blue Lizard: Yes
Rockhopper: Not all at once but yes.
Bat Boy: I do but I also don’t. I had lots of fun on trail, but if we went back out it wouldn’t be with the same people and I would miss them.

Would you ever do another thru hike?
Waterboy: I would. I obviously want to finish the PCT, but am eyeing some of the shorter National Scenic Trails closer to home as nearer term options.
Blue Lizard: Not this long of a thru hike but I’d do sections of the big trails and maybe thruhike some of the shorter ones.
Rockhopper: Not anytime soon, but probably sometime.
Bat Boy: Yes, I would do the PCT again.