A man, a plan (A Canal, Panama)

anagrams aside

I had a plan, a damn good plan, but like any plan if the circumstances change, so does the plan.

The plan:
1. Graduate from college with History degree and secondary education certificate.
2. SOBO hike the Appalachian Trail.
3. Find a job as a High School History teacher.
4. Regale them with stories of my travels (optional)

The NEW plan:
1. Make money any way possible
2. Hike the PCT
3. Find a job as a High School History teacher
4. Regale them with stories of my travels (still an option)

How did we get here?

As I was hiking the AT I constantly thought of the old plan. It really all made sense; I rationalized in my head that it was the correct course for me take post AT for four years. Then I hiked, and hiked some more, and just for the heck of it, just did a little more.

Finally, a competing plan came into focus, plan 2.0 if you will. Version 2.0 was good, but contrasted what my friends, family, and I expected of post-trail Chris LeBlanc- but it made perfect sense to post-trail Chickenfat. The question became do I allow my Appalachian Trail journey transform me? Should I let Chickenfat become part of who Chris LeBlanc is? Or is Chickenfat just an Appalachian Trail character I will remember as a fleeting memory of my 5 months of pooping, living, and sleeping in the woods?

I chose plan 2…

If the purpose of my Appalachian Trail trip was to experience new things and gain a fresh outlook, plan two screams pick me! Just like the perfect time to hike the AT was right after I graduated college, the perfect time to hike the PCT is now, before I get my first “real” job.

So where are we now?

Currently I am working at Kanki, a Japanese Steakhouse, as a waiter (not one of cook “volcano guys” as my friend put it), making money while minimizing extraneous expenditures, and trying to 1. Upgrade my current gear to a more UL setup and 2. Tuck money away for the PCT hike. Basically, I am just waiting for May 2015- the day that once again Chris LeBlanc recedes away and Chickenfat takes his place.