When you are hiking the PCT you don't feel particularly special. Climbing up hills is tiring, down hills hurts your feet and the only burning questions in your day are "should I eat my snack now or in a hour?" or "do I need water here or can I wait?" So when you role into a town and happen to mention that you came from Mexico and are walking to Canada it feels strange to have people look at you like you're some kind of superhero.
I mean I don't feel like a badass. I still suck wind climbing the passes in the Sierras and feel tired at the end of a long day. But when you come across some John Muir Trail (JMT) hikers you realize, yeah I am hiking way faster and further. I think the point that most resonates to me as the switch between being a hiker and this is my life was coming over Forester Pass. Forester is the highest point on the PCT and when walking down the north side there was a point where I had my trekking poles in one hand and my other in my pocket as I strolled down to tree line. It was a very odd feeling once I realized how I was walking. I discovered then that this isn't some dream for me now, it's my life. Yes that takes away some of the nostalgia of the PCT for me, but at the same time THIS IS MY LIFE! How cool is that.
So if hanging out in the woods is considered to be "hardcore" then I guess I am pretty awesome. But honestly I am only interested in is where the next creek crossing is...
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