Basic Questions
Q: What part of the PCT are you hiking?
A: Yes. All of it. We are planning to do the entire thing, though we do acknowledge that both of us have physical limitations that might rear their ugly heads on the trail. More on that later.
Q: Are you going north or south?
A. We are going northbound (NoBo), as it allows for a longer trip. While we have to be concerned about snow in the Sierra Nevadas, especially since they have received record precipitation this year, we have more time than if we were hiking southbound (SoBo).
Q: Where are you starting?
A: We are starting on the Mexican border, or at least about 100 ft from it.
Q: How long are you going to be gone?
A: We are planning to be gone for 5 months, or 150 days. That equates to about 20 miles a day with 20 zero or no hike days.
Q: Are you going with a group?
A: Not really. It's just going to be me, Damon (boyfriend), and Lucky (dog).
Q: What are you going to eat?
A: I have been dehydrating food for a while, so we will have our own custom meals, as well as commercial dehydrated/freeze dried meals. We also plan on purchasing food in stores along the way.
Financial stuff
Q: Are you keeping your apartments?
A: No. My lease ends at the end of April, which works out really well for us.
Q: What about your stuff?
A: We are putting it into storage, that which we don't sell or get rid of.
Q: How does this all work with your jobs?
A: As a substitute teacher, I can set my own work schedule. Same with tutoring. Damon has been working at R.E.I., which he will be leaving. He also has been working for a temp agency, which he will also be leaving. When we return, he will be looking for a job in tech, and I will be returning to substitute teaching.
Q: What about your cars?
A: We are of two minds right now. We originally planned to sell them, but as we both have been working to get them to selling shape, we have started thinking about keeping them. We have a few things to look into before we can make this decision.
Q: If you aren't working, how are you doing financially?
A: We both have savings. I'll be receiving two paychecks while we are gone. Damon has some savings as well. We do have a GoFundMe going if you would like to help out financially. Here's the link. If you would prefer to give us money directly, please feel free to do so, either in person or via Paypal to the email ashleyjlambert (at) gmail (dot) com.
Physical Questions
Q: You said you have physical limitations?
A: I have plantar fasciitis and problems with my knees and ankles, as well as an osteoid in each foot that might challenge my ability to complete the trail. Damon may not be able to take in enough calories to stay on the trail, as he doesn't have a high fat percentage at this time and does have a high metabolism, which he may not be able to satisfy while hiking.
Q: Does this have to do with your foot surgery?
A: Yes. Two summers ago, we tried to do a section of the PCT in Oregon. I had extreme foot pain that caused us to have to turn around and not do the trip. When I came back, there was a question of getting surgery on my feet to remove the osteoid in each of them. I have since changed podiatrists, and my current podiatrist is much more helpful. I have custom inserts for my shoes, as well as pads to help alleviate the pressure around the osteoid.
The Dog
Q: You are taking your dog?
A: Yep, I am. He is an emotional support animal and helps with my emotional equilibrium. He is welcome along all portions of the trail, both because of that, as well as the PCT is open to dogs through the national parks.
Q: You think he can do this?
A: Yes. He loves being outdoors. It's probably his favorite thing, next to just being with us. It will be a trial in some ways, but I"m glad he will be with us.
Q: Is he carrying his own stuff?
A: Of course. He has his own backpack and should be able to carry up to 12 lbs of weight. We are working up to that. I still will probably have to carry some of his food, since he might have up to 8 lbs of food we pick up from a mail drop.
Q: What is he eating?
A: We are doing dehydrated raw food, packaged into half pound bags (by me). He will get a half pound each morning and night, as well as snacks on the trail.
Q: What about if he can't handle it?
A: I have already planned for contingencies in case we feel he isn't doing well on the trail. If he hits those measures, then I will ship him back to the area to stay with Damon's parents, since they have other animals and a yard. It will probably be really hard for all of us to be separated, but I want to do right by him.
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