Why Walk The Continental Divide

We got engaged in 2018. HOORAH!

To confirm we may actually like to spend a fair bit more time together, how ever long our lives may last; we thought we’d walk a really, really long way.

Roughly 3,100 miles.

From Mexico to Canada.

If we managed to survive, bland food, continuous pain, grizzly bears, pooping in a hole for 6 months, green drinking water, sweaty heat, freezing mornings and the wrath of each other, we may well just go right on ahead and make the commitment.

We made the decision to do this in April 2018 and will be flying to Tucson Arizona in April 2019. It’s December 22nd 2018 as I write this and everyone is stuffing their pie holes in time for the impending January guilt (us included).

Since April we have been mostly:

• Selling a high percentage of all the things we own to increase funds for new, swanky lightweight gear.
• Researching and buying new, swanky lightweight gear. (Many upgrades made – see my Gear list for a complete guide to what we’re taking).
• Wondering why UK gear is ever labelled ‘lightweight’ when it is in fact, not.
• Working out how to avoid ridiculous import tax on American goods.
• Watching loads of YouTube videos on ex-CDT hikers and their tiny things.
• Committing to the best of an unrealistic list of insufficient options for US insurance. (£500 for dentistry gets you a cup of mouthwash in the United States)
• Testing gear out on Offa’s Dyke, both injuring ourselves then questioning all of the above decisions.

The Continental Divide (CDT) is longer than the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) by a mere 500 miles. I hiked this delectable dirt trail in 2013 and it is most certainly one of the best tings I’ve ever done to date. But, on the CDT….. The water is more scarce (who needs water)? It’s more Giardia riddled (who needs intestines)? The trail is less navigable (it’s not complete), it sits at altitude for longer (who needs Oxygen)? There are fewer people, fewer towns and a larger variety of bears. All in all, it sounds like a jolly nice time.

The only alternative I have, is, not to hike the CDT….

We are both in full agreement that this is not an option because:

• Change is important
• Challenge is important
• I have the money and buying a house is a less exciting right now
• I (will) have the time
• I have legs which work
• The above things may not always be true

It’s Shelley’s first camping trip longer than three nights, she’s just had an operation to remove a section of nerve from her foot, is on crutches and cant weight her foot, but, she’s cooler than me in almost every way, and I think she’ll be just fine.

My intention at present, is to update this blog on a weekly basis. Giving you, reader, an overview of each section. Whether when on trail I have the energy, to do this, over: eating, sleeping, town errands, resupplying and generally taking full advantage of not walking, remains to be seen.

“Many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality, nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future”

Chris McCandless