The West Coast Trail Kicked My Butt!

How’s your life going? It has been a while since I checked in. Are you living a life of joy and passion? Are you living your values? There’s nothing like shaking up your routine or getting out of your comfort zone or confronting your demons to get you back on track to living your best life.

On August 26th, Karl and I, and five of our dearest friends, finished the West Coast Trail hike in British Columbia, Canada. We started the hike in the north at Pachena Bay and ended at Gordon River across from Port Renfrew. We walked 75 kilometers over 8 days. And, EVERY SINGLE day was a challenge of mind and body.

I’m pretty sure if I asked each person in our group whether the hike was hard, each person would say a resounding YES. But, I’m guessing the challenges would be slightly different for each person. Some confronted their fear of heights as they climbed up tall ladders with missing or slimy rungs and walked over tree trunk bridges one foot at a time. Some might say trying to figure a way around mud pits and slippery roots, rocks, and boardwalks. Others might say the physical exhaustion just from hiking up and down narrow and steep terrain with drop offs and overgrown bushes that constantly grabbed your pack. And what about the trudging through deep sand on the beach for hours, trusting the old cable car wasn’t going to finally break with you in it, peeing alongside of the guys, using outhouses that were stinky and falling apart, and of course not showering for days…I could go on…so many things encountered that were different from our “normal” lives. And truly, the challenges started before we even began the hike with all the preparations, like finding the right gear, trying to train enough, and making sure we had all our passports, vaccinations, medical insurance, and permits in order!

This hike was one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life. Some days we hiked less than 1 km an hour because it was so difficult. Despite everything, and actually maybe because of everything, every day was full. Every day was a new adventure and every night a beautiful dream (camping on the beach, falling asleep to crashing waves and critters scampering around our tents. And oh the smell of rain forests and sea air!!!!

This trip was epic and a bucket list trip come true. I learned that I’ve got grit and determination. I am capable and strong. And most of all, I felt alive! 

Don’t be afraid to get a little dirty or uncomfortable. You’ve got it in you! It’s an opportunity to see what you are made of and in facing your struggles or fears (with the support of loved ones), you grow and shake off those shackles that were holding you back.