It’s 30 days until we leave Florida, and another 24 days after that, we start the PCT. That’s the plan that has been in motion since we got our start date over five months ago. We have since packed over 600 meals and half that many protein drinks. I didn’t keep as much track of the snacks; I was just hoping to pack about 600 calories per person per day in some boxes that were too full to close, so we got bigger boxes.

We are leaving our canal-side apartment with the daily turtle, gator, deer, raccoon, rabbit, lizard, and bird sightings, as we are not allowed to sublet, and no one has offered to add their name to the lease in the meantime. This was our last time being able to use the military clause to break a lease, and moving forward, we won’t get the active military discounts, though I’m hoping veterans get deals too.

We have downsized our wardrobes and packed away half our kitchen. We’ve made our last trip to Costco depending on changes to our road trip itinerary of either a few days on the road or a few weeks. Either way, we need some elevation in our legs and lungs that we are not getting at 35 feet above sea level.. or some low Florida equivalent.

I looked into bringing a camera, and a friend gifted me a lens for my phone. I could bring a GoPro, but those batteries don’t seem to last (I only use them when I dive). I know I will take notes, whether on my phone in airplane mode, a Moleskine notebook with my name engraved on the front, or a long CVS receipt that I find in the trash of a town as we resupply.

I plan on updating my Instagram weekly, but maybe not at all. I will not be posting YouTube videos on the trail as I will not want to constantly detour for WiFi and an outlet. I’ve been told I should bring multiple battery banks and a solar charger, but I am looking forward to being off-grid (as much as this trail will allow), and I don’t need others to know how much fun I’m having for it to count.

People are still asking how we will undertake such an endeavor, and I have to remind them that there are plenty who have gone before us – those who have never hiked or camped, those that are recovering from an injury or a loss, and those that were twice our age when they started and finished. It takes some people years to complete this trail – nature and life happen, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying.

Cost is always a popular topic, but this trip – our longest – could very easily be our cheapest. We will not be paying for a place to sleep every night, we will not be driving (maintaining a vehicle) or paying for utilities (gas, electric, water, trash, sewer, etc.), and we saved thousands by freeze-drying our meals. The dehydrated ones might seem pricy at the store, but they come with a convenience tax on the trail.

I’ve had strangers tell me how much they envy my situation and friends who can’t afford the time this adventure will take, but I, too, started out with day trips and then week-long travels. The most time off Caleb has had in 21 years is a month (usually while we are moving across the country or between them). I invite those who want to come to do so or begin to follow their other dreams – life is so short.

As much as we have planned, we are already seeing changes to our schedule. Caleb will have double open carpal tunnel surgery (OCTR) two weeks before we leave, so his grip strength will return before we get on the road. Our flights have shifted, but that’s to be expected. We have our shuttles planned and our reservation at Camp Lockett. All we can do is come prepared and without expectations.

Thank you to those people who have inquired about our trip, as it helps me to think about the Pacific Crest Trail (all 2650 miles of it from Mexico to Canada via California, Oregon, and Washington) from many viewpoints and solidify decisions as to what luxuries I want to bring. We plan on averaging 20-mile days, as uphill in the heat will be slower than downhill with a breeze.

There will be “town” luxuries that we will miss, but I didn’t bring “American” necessities with me when moving overseas, as I think it lessens the experience, so I won’t focus on the warm, clean bed I have now as a sleeping bag with a bit of grit from the day, a band-aid or two to patch holes, and possibly some ants that wander in (more welcome than mosquitoes) will be the highlight of my night – after the starry sky of course.