Brownwood resident Christopher Gaston, who is currently hiking the 2,653-mile Pacific Crest Trail from Canada to Mexico, provided a Facebook update Sunday on his progress. Thus far, Gaston has hiked through Washington, covering more than 500 miles.
His Facebook post is as follows:
Thoughts on the hike thus far:
As I am taking my first full zero mile rest day, I have had some time to reflect on the trail. I have been hiking for 39 days and have hiked a total of 535 miles. Starting out I really did not know what to expect. I had thoughts about sketching every day and recording and uploading videos of my guitar playing. I had ideas of frequently hand washing my clothes and regularly sponge bathing.
My day starts at 4:30 of tearing down my camp site and repacking my pack. I grab a quick couple of handfuls of dry food and then hike 20-25 miles or more until 7:30 or 8:00 with some nights finishing well after 10. Once I get to the campsite, I try to eat a quick bite, get my tent set as quickly as possible, and then crash for the night. There is no time and no energy for all those noble ideas of what you might think you will do on the trail. Some days, it is all you can do to breathe. By the end of the day, extreme fatigue sets in, your feet are swollen, and everything hurts. Not one day goes by where your feet are not swollen and hurting.
I have encountered 100’s of yards of snowpack and ice, heat and sun, sore, swollen, and blistered feet, millions mosquitoes and assorted biting flies, 100’s of downed trees, miles of bushwhacking through dense thorny vegetation, unending rocky painful paths, and daily crazy hard ascents. I have had my whole body achy and worn out. I have been discouraged, disappointed, frustrated, tired, worn out, lonely, suffered doubt and disillusionment, and more beyond these.
Yet daily I encounter wonder, beauty, splendor, and majesty beyond imagination. Images cannot touch the infinite experience of the real. I have met wonderful people on and off the trail. I am daily surrounded by a wonderful trail family and a full family of trail angels. I have received countless words of encouragement and thanks, wonderful hand written notes, gifts, trail magic, and provision beyond what I need or want.
Washington is complete. 500 miles are now behind me. My heart is overflowing with gratitude, gladness, and super abundance of love. I look forward to what Oregon and the the rest of the trail holds.
