LOFT (Leap of Faith… Truly)

Living out of a backpack for four months sounds crazy. Living in the wilderness for four months sounds crazier. Walking 2,653 miles from Mexico to Canada sounds exhilarating. But also a little bit like a leap of faith.

It’s all laid out on the kitchen floor.

While planning my 2021 thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) the thought of “this is crazy”. Has passed my mind more than a million times.  Especially when I sit down and look or think about my gear.  The idea of living out of a backpack, in the wilderness for four months just sounds crazy.  I’m usually not one to stay away from something that sounds crazy…  but so crazy it’s almost a leap of faith? The fact that I could lay out everything that I was going to be calling my home on my tiny kitchen floor really made it start to feel insane.

Just LOFT it… maybe?

Getting in my head has always been a problem of mine especially when I’m stressed.  So deciding to hike the PCT, with no prior thru-hiking knowledge, trying to figure out gear and less than a year to fully prepare.  All to go from Mexico to Canada in the middle of the pandemic when the whole world is on pause. Makes being stressed show up out of nowhere like a rabbit out of a magician’s hat.  If I had to explain this whole situation in one acronym it would be LOFT (Leap of Faith…. Truly) Why that word? With a lot of things up in the air and a lot of uncertainties with the unforeseeable future doing this trip, this year would be a leap of faith… truly.

One month until showtime!

With 36 days until flying to San Diego and 37 days until showtime the more real this trip seems to become. but even with this trip seeming like it’s real, the world (mostly America) is still at a standstill. with mask mandates coming and going like fast food orders and the Covid19 vaccine slowly being given out. There is still a lot up in the air. And between the constant nightmares about what could happen on trail and just feeling anxious.  The more the acronym LOFT seems to perfectly fit its name.

I have no clue what could happen in the next month. But even with a lot of things still, up in the air I cant wait to be out on trail. I  also know that I’m not the only hiker that feels this way but sometimes all we need to do is take a leap of faith… truly.

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Comments 3

  • Schmiddy jk : Mar 8th

    Good luck. Just remember the wilderness doesn’t care about acronyms, blogging, or other social media related ideas. Just you, an local wildlife. Enjoy, stay safe, be free.

    Reply
  • Robbie Steen : Mar 8th

    Kyle, Really relate to your creative bent, not so much your lack of experience going into the PCT. Nonetheless, you DO appear to be doing your homework in the prep department as you’re on the right path so far as gear and such go. Me, I leave from Springer on April 12. I’m very comfortable re: preparation and I’m Mr. Camper-Boy, so apart from doing 15 miles a day (I’m still working), I’m good to go. Best of luck, brother! Be reading you.

    Reply
  • Brian : Mar 8th

    What do you do for food and water?
    I can hike and sleep out door’s, just need to eat and drink. How do you supply those items?

    Reply

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