Greetings readers, it has been a pleasure to have you along for the last five months. I originally envisioned this blog as a collection of photos from my journey on the Pacific Crest Trail. Each entry would be a series of photo taken throughout that day. However, when I was putting together the first post, for some reason I decided to add some prose. Very quickly, this blog became my journal. I recorded not just the actions and events of each day, but also my thoughts and feelings. In some sense, I feel this was all a big happy accident. One thing I do know, however, is that I will cherish it in the years to come. Not only my words, but also the comments.
And this brings me to what I wanted to say. Thank you dear reader. When I was tired, struggling, and the last thing I wanted to do was write that day’s journal, I thought of my future self and of you and that was enough to keep me honest.
Your comments encouraged me, cheered me on, and on occasion even made me laugh. Thank you for spending your most valuable resource on this blog, your time.
Now as the title indicates, I wanted to reach out to you and see if you had any questions. They can be about the PCT, backpacking, Bedazzled, myself or anything in general. Bedazzled and I will pick our favorites and answer them in a video sometime in mid-October. Please leave all questions in the comments.
Cheers,
Harley & Bedazzled
Are you going to cut your hair and shave your beard & mustache? 🙂
Ha ha. A great mom question. Yes, are you?
First, I want to thank you for staying in the game and keeping your blog going all the way through. So many bloggers quit in the Sierra. I actually think your blog is amazing on two levels. Amazing blog. But also amazing trail guide for future hikers. I loved it. I believe I will use it as a reference in the future. My hiking partner and I are section hikers. We often pick our next section based on what we hear from thru hikers. So, what was your favorite section/area of the trail?
Hi Harley/Owen,
I wanted to tell you that following your Pacific Crest Trail adventures has been such a glorious journey for this armchair traveler who also loves the wilderness. I remember trying not to tumble down scree onto the sharp rocks waiting long below, in Alaska and in the Alps… the sounds of glaciers breathing, sunset and sunrise in the high mountains. But not for 145 days! Maybe two weeks, at most ever. I wonder what the most surprising part of this journey was, for you, and for Bedazzled. And I hope you’ll find a new phase of life that lets you expand on what you’ve discovered within yourself on the trail. And thank you again for the blog and the gorgeous photographs.
–Cynthia (Japan Society)
To Harley and Bedazzled:
Did your time spent with nature change your outlook on the world and your own life?
What will your priorites be now that you have achieved this amazing goal?
Do you want to be with a lot of people now or do you want to continue to have some solitude?
Hey owen, here are some questions:
Why did you publish your Blog with a delay of nearly one week?
Did you write your blogtext each day in the afternoon e.g. in your tent or did you write ir in one piece when you had wlan-connection?
How did you manage the powersupply of your camera? I have also a XT10, and my batterie is often empty after one day.
Are you doing travelling-writing or Photographie as your profession?
Thanks for answering.
Norma’s questions above are great.
Here are a bunch of mine:
What did you think starting out would be the hardest thing to deal with on trail? And what was the hardest thing now that you look back? How did you handle it?
What part of a 24 hour day was the best?
What do you wish someone would have clued you in on about hiking the PCT?
What 3 things are you now most grateful for in life?
Any “spiritual” aspect of the journey to share?
Will this journey make you a kinder, generous person like the trail angels you encountered? If yes,how?
What food did you crave on trail?
What scared you the most on trail? What excited you the most?
What are some of your favorite photographs?
What did you learn about yourself that surprised you?
(This journey of yours brought back memories of my Young Life backpacking trips as a teen and in my early 20’s in Colorado. Climbed three 14,000 foot mountains, but in wilderness for only 8 days at a time for each. You both are Trail Masters, phenomenal hikers! Thanks again for sharing.)
Enjoyed reading your blog each day so thank you for doing it. The details you included will surely bring back good memories for a long time to come. Here’s a few questions I had.
1. How many miles did you have to skip due to fires or other obstacles?
2. Which one picture that you took was your favorite?
3. What was the one trait, skill, or talent you appreciated in Bedazzled? How soon on the trail did you recognize it? Same question for Bedazzled.
4. What would you do differently or wish you could do over?
Congratulations to both of you! Thanks again for including us on your trip!
To Harley and Bedazzled:
As prepared as you were for this journey was there anything you changed or added to your possessions for your comfort and safety? (My thoughts were a spare pair of shoes and extra socks would have helped although adding to the weight) What was the worst experience you had on the trail? What did you enjoy the most? How are you feeling physically after walking so far and long with that heavy pack on your back? Love that shared your thoughts and experiences along with your wonderful pictures. So glad you both followed your dream to the end and are safe and sound!!
Vicki (Rojek) Dominas
How was the transition back into the front country? Congratulations!!! Thanks for the blog I enjoyed every bit.
Dear Harley and Bedazzled, When I met you in Mammoth I was so interested in your journey. I mostly want to know what had inspired you to want to hike the trail and what is next on each of your bucket lists. You have inspired me to keep going during any difficult task ever since I was lucky enough to cross paths with you, Bedazzled, Viper and Fundip. Here’s to the next BIG adventure!
For those of us who can’t get away for a 5-month hike…but could get away for a 1-3 day hike…
What did you see that would make the best day hike? Or short overnight hike…2-3 days?
A quote from Henry David Thoreau: “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach , and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” I am glad to see you and Bedazzled are living your life. You and Bedazzled had the adventure of a lifetime. Thanks for sharing your experiences with everyone. Please evaluate your gear and let us know what items you would add, delete, or change and what items worked best for you. Also, What does the future hold for you and Bedazzled? Are there any future thru-hikes planned? As the hiking groups changed over the weeks, You both seemed to consistently support and compliment each other. Thanks!
First off thanks for taking me along. I plan on the class of 2019, I think for financial reasons it will take me that long. I will be 65 then, but then lately I have been walking long distances on days off in preparation amougst the Chugach Mountains aside Anchorage Alaska. I feel my youth coming back. For a very long time I took care of my parents until their time passed, some 16 years. Recovering slowly from debt, I have a chance now get back some of the time I feel I have missed out on through those years. Spending several hours a night reading over your blog and looking at your pictures, your journey has become my journey in many ways as I have some of my own experiences growing up in Alaska, I know the feeling of the long journey and how it comes to be, that being indoors soon has a feeling of cramped surroundings and stale air, the outdoors is home (except during winter :). You would probably like Sea Kayaking South East Alaska, there are amazing experience from whales and bears to Neon Plankton lighting up under your paddles and making glowing wake in the black of night. I wish you well and hope you do not suffer too much getting back into the mix of city life. Thanks.
Do you think you will from now on forever feel the need to get up at 5 or 6 pm or do you think the transition back into a grumpy-morning-monster (I can only speak for Bedazzled of course) will be easy?
What was the worst food you’ve eaten from your resupply roulette (and the best if there is a such thing ;))?
Do you have a favourite day, moment, memory etc?
What was the most challenging burden you’ve had to overcome?
Oh and are there any trail angels, hikers or other people you have met that specifically stuck in your head?