My Pacific Crest Trail Journey

Hey guys! Its Elsye "chardonnay" Walker and I'm setting up this campaign to help raise money to attempt something that has been on my mind for over a year now... And that is to hike the 2650 mile Pacific Crest Trail!! My journey I will be starting April  12, 2015!

So What's Happening?
I will be embarking on a journey thru hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail . A well known 2,650 + mile journey through some of the most breathtaking and isolated landscapes the United States has to offer. The PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) stretches from Mexico to Canada passing through California, Oregon, and Washington. Border to Border!

I will be hiking through the beauty of the desert, up to the glaciers of the Sierra Nevada, throughout the deep forests of the Pacific Northwest and along volcanic peaks and ridges in the Cascade Range.

So...why am I doing this? Why would I want to walk 15-20+ miles a day(with lots of elevation) for 4 months straight? Well, because the human body can and life is short and you only live once. I am doing this test my mind and body, to push myself to unknown limits. I'm doing this to inspire people, I'm doing this for my family and friends, I'm doing this for myself, I'm doing this because I can.

This is truly something special and downright crazy!

Can I really accomplish this? Ya you betcha! I am confident in my physical and mental abilities and just the right amount of crazy! I have been hiking and training for months and with less then 4 months to go I will only be training that much harder, to reduce risk of injury and increase stamina to stick to the schedule . Time is also a factor as seasons change during the trail.

How can you help you ask? Well......(Donate, Support, Mail)

If you can donate to my fund to help me I would appreciate it. If you want to follow my blog (leave encouraging comments or snark) generally spread the word, I would appreciate it. If you want to send me care packages along the way, I would appreciate that too! Help comes in many forms, ya'll.

Ok so what would your donations help with if you were to contribute? You contribution will go to several different things.

I pretty much have most of my gear except for a jacket, tent and water filter. But to break it down, your contributions go towards tons of food that I will need to get me through this trek. (I will be burning about 4,000-6,000 calories per day!)Donations will help fund the demanding food intake, inevitable gear replacement, and lodging along the way. Donating will help with the mailing of resupply packages all along the way at certain points of the trail. I hope not to have to replace gear but a thu hiker can easily go through 3 pairs of shoes.

I am buying my food in town to help the local community. I will spend most of my time on the trail and not in towns because the vortex lives (what up Greenfield, IA!)...but, every so often I will need a place to stay and a hot shower after many days on the trail. You're contributions would go towards that as well.
While my goal for this fundraiser is $1,500 if I am able to raise more it I will be donating anything over the total to the PCTA ! This journey is one that not many people get to embark upon in their lives. Helping support the trail and conserve it is an ongoing project.

And if you can't contribute that is perfectly fine! Spreading the word or just following me along my journey is a great motivator!

If you want to follow me and make sure I haven't gotten eaten by a bear or something, I've started my blog wanderingchardonnay . I will be documenting the journey with photos, video and text as I stumble along and meet the people of the PCT.

Thank you everyone for following my blog and to all who contribute to make this a successful and amazing experience. I love you all!