The PCT - Kendal Chang

In class, we watched a documentary about a group of people who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. The PCT is a very long trail that stretches from Mexico to Canada. It is known for its diverse scenery, including deserts, forests, and mountains. We got to hear people’s journeys as they hiked this, and all of the challenges they experienced. It emphasized that life is a journey that is stripped to its core. We live each day prioritizing things, but how do we prioritize life? This question really stuck with me, and it is important to think about because people get so caught up in many distractions that they lose sight of what is truly important. One of the hikers stated that he felt he could do something bigger after he failed, and that is why he goes hiking. That is how he makes meaning out of it.

One of the lessons I took away was that we need to be flexible. It is very important that we do not quit the trail on a bad day. One bad day does not define the rest of your life. They also emphasized the importance of having people and friends on the trail because it can be hard to be alone with yourself and your thoughts. These hikers don’t have their phones with them, so they really learned to take everything in, and that is the simplicity of living. As Carney stated, the beauty of living is right in front of us, and we do not want to miss it. This documentary showed how hiking connects us to the present. I also enjoyed seeing all of the trail names that each hiker gave themselves. Some of them were funny, and I enjoyed listening to their story behind them. 

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