Day 100
This morning, we came to a view of Mt. Shasta. What a beautiful sight to see.
Mental toughness. A friend told me beforehand that doing the PCT was the best thing she had ever done. It was fun and enjoyable, but it's not always gonna be fun, and there will be lows.
Thru-hiking for five months is really tough. Prior to the start, there's the excitement and anticipation. At the beginning, it was the dream finally becoming a reality. Then it was about adapting, learning the routines, functioning on the trail efficiently, managing minor injuries, and so on.
The trail teaches one about themselves. As the miles got higher, we got stronger physically, but we are always tested mentally everyday, and that can be tough. Sometimes I get frustrated at myself that I can't go uphill as fast as I want. Sometimes I bounce my frustration to others because they happen to catch me at the wrong time. Sometimes the trail will throw everything at you and you just have to accept it. "Embrace the suck," as the saying goes on the trail.
But at the end of the day, consistency is key, and I always remember, "Never quit on a bad day."
And today, there was nothing spectacular other than the first sight of Mt. Shasta in the morning. It was about doing the miles. It was about catching up on the miles to make up those we lost in the Sierra.