Rachel and Mandy's PCT Thru-Hike

Dear Family, Friends, and All,

Those of you who know us know we do the unconventional and have a desire for challenges that push our bodies to mental, spiritual, and physical limits. For those of you who don’t know us, we are Rachel and Mandy and we are hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. On the morning of April 8th, 2023, we will take our first step of what will hopefully be a 2,650-mile hike from Mexico to Canada.

As kids, we both found calmness, a deep sense of self, and belonging in nature. As we have grown up it has been harder to come by those moments. Just as you may be doing, we have also had doubts and questioned our choice of choosing to leave our jobs, the comforts of a warm bed, and the safety and security of modern life. Every morning we realize that we do not know what tomorrow will bring or if we will be able to pursue this dream of ours at a different time in our lives. Waking up 10, 20, and 30 years older will happen in the blink of an eye just as the past several years have. Our days happen slowly but the years pass fast.

We want to hike the trail for so many reasons that we are not sure where to start. When the distractions fade away we become people who are kinder, more open-minded, and less consumed. We want others to know you can do badass adventures while consuming an all-plant-based diet along the way. That our food choices do matter and impact the environment and the well-being of all sentient creatures. We want to show how important and breathtakingly beautiful the world’s remaining natural spaces are. We want to document the devastation of climate change and why we need to act now. We hope to gain the strength of thought and spirit as we have in each of our past adventures from ultra running to endurance cycling events. We want to face the limits we and society have put in place and challenge them. We wish to welcome discomfort, pain, and doubt, knowing that without them we would never be able to find the courage and strength we didn't know we possess.

So instead of waiting on the world to change as John Mayer eloquently put it, we are seeking to be the change that we wish to see in the world. A world that takes value in natural spaces, the health of the mind, body, and soul for all, and the opportunity to simply be ourselves in a world that tries to make us anything else.

All donations will be used to help us along the trail. This could be helping to resupply in town with vegan food, a place to rest our tired bodies, or replace gear should it begin to fail from everyday use. Everything we will need and use on the trail will be carried in our pack on our back for the duration of the 5-month trip. We are happy to share a photo of how your donation has helped us along our journey. Thank you for helping us on this journey, we appreciate your support and kindness!

"All that is gold does not glitter.

Not all those who wander are lost"

-J.R.R. Tolkien