Saturday 20 June 2015

The west Highland way

 
After hike the PCT last year I knew that this year would be just something short as I will have just a month Holidays. After being in a quick visit in Scotland I discover the West Highland Way. Just 96 of not very rugged terrain but very beautiful and full  of history 



It is just 96 miles going from the outskirts of Glasgow up to Fort Williams. It is technically part of the Appalachian mountains.... I will try also to do an scape to Ben Nevis, highest point in the Uk, with just over 1000 m. Easy. I have just 5 days so I will have to keep the typical average of the PCT but without any training . I think should be ok as it is quite flat really , it like goes through valleys rather than by crests.

 
 
 
Regarding equipment is basically the same than PCT, ready for a few showers ....Tarp tent... I have a new watch Garmin so I am looking to see how it works and carrying and ebook as luxury. Anyway not much problem for food resupply with a maximum of 2 days from point to point , so easy and light.
 
 
 

CANADA

After 6 months of finishing the Pct and decided to end the blog of this adventure.
 
 
 
 
This is my last stop , mu last resupply. Seems ages ago when I started in the Mexican Border. I look completely different. Everything is tear down, much skinny and with a big bear. I look to the picture and I don't recognize me.
Skykomis is a paradise, only connected to the world by boat, it is a beautiful small town in the middle of the Casacades. It remind me the Ness lake in Scotland , a long lake.
 
I camped again so it is now from Ashland that I don't sleep under a roof. I am being very lucky with the Weather . It has been some rain in Washington, but not much at all. Washington is the best, remote. High Sierras are more beautiful but are full of people, rangers, nice trails. The feeling of remoteness here is unbelievable . In my head this is like Alaska, the last frontier, no civilization, no phone, nobody.
 
I have to woke up at 3.00 am to be able to call London and change my flight, I am finishing a week earlier , I really smashed Washington with an average of 20 miles per day.
 
I left this little town after resupply, from the little bus I saw a Mon bear with the little kids. I camped in a designated campsite inside Cascade National Park. I though would be people but nobody. I was alone. I decided to cow boy camp, I did a fire. I start to be sad, probably today is the last cowboy camp. Sad and happy, I would finish in 3 days. I can believe I did it. I am ready for real life?
 
Next day I crossed rainy pass and climb a few passes. Now we are in the east side of the crest , so it is dryer, you can see that winter is coming . all the tree start to have red and yellow leafs > I was able to camp in the top of a pass , just 50 miles from the border. I set the tent.
 

 
 
I met Sandals and Princess , tortuga and cracker fire on the way to hard pass. I had lunch with them and I saw again Marmots , different colors from the sierras. Hard pass is the last road before the border , next road would be Manning Park in Canada. That night I spot a flat area in a ridge and I have a fantastic sunset while having dinner. Thanks PCT.
 
 
 
 
I have enough food to finish and I have some treats like coffee and pork scratching and some bourbon. Just doing the last miles while relaxing and enjoying. I met smiley and Mr JT  when they were on the way back from the border. I took the bus with those guys from San Diego to the border and we started together and we camped the first night together. Now I see them the day before finish.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This last part of the PCT is spectacular. It is raining and getting really cold , I did it now even if snows, I will go through . I lost altitude , pass the last lake and I camped 4 miles from the border . Everything is wet , but doesn't matter . Tomorrow I will be dry. No much battery in the camera. Happy And Sad.
 
Oh god , last day few miles and turn left and I saw, I have been wondering the last 5 months how is that line. It is just that . I line in the forest without trees, I saw it and smile. I shout . hahaha I fucking did it . 2650 miles of everything. Dessert, high sierras , wet forest , bears, snakes, rivers..........fucking done! a life time adventure. The feeling of accomplishment. Done done. There was more people taking some picture and seat by the monument ad did a coffee reading the log book, so many friends ahead of me.
 
 
 
Finally in the Canadian border
 
 
That is done for me for a while, I will go to Spain , chill out and after work like a normal person but those 5 months in the wilderness will be there forever. Thanks to the PCT for be such an amazing trail, American people for being so cool, Friends and Family for support and ICC for let me scape for 6 months. I will never forget such a adventure.