The Hike-a-Thon

We interrupt this blog for a special, important announcement. Each year, the Washington Trails Association (WTA) runs a Hike-a-Thon to raise money. If you aren't familiar with the WTA or the work they do, it's a wonderful organization. They help build and maintain trails all over the grand state of Washington. I've even volunteered a couple of times to do trail work on the Pacific Crest Trail at Mount Adams and in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. (Click on the links to read my account of the experiences.)

Obviously, I won't be doing any trail work this year--I'm too busy working on my thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail--so instead, I'm throwing my efforts into raising money to help others do the trail work. A section of the PCT in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness is currently closed due to a fire last summer, and a lot of work and effort will be required to get the trail back open. The kind of work where the WTA excels. Many other trails in the state need maintenance and improvements. Organizations such as the WTA help make hikes such as mine possible, so if even if you don't live in Washington or hike the trails there but enjoy reading my blog, consider giving something back. Even $5 can help buy or fix a necessary tool to keep the trail open and in good condition.

For the month of August, Amanda and I will be tracking our miles hiked and trying to raise money for the WTA. You can sponsor either of us (or both). Now, I need to get back on the trail. There are miles to be hiked, and daylight is running out.

For those of you reading this blog and wonder about where I currently am--since this blog is a little out of date--I'm currently typing this in the little town of Quincy, CA. Amanda came out to visit for a few days. I'm about a hundred miles short of the halfway mark on the Pacific Crest Trail, an exciting milestone. I don't want to spoil all of the adventures coming up in my blogs, but I will say that the High Sierras were tough--perhaps the toughest hiking I've ever done. So stay tuned. As they often say, you ain't seen nothing yet!

And if you enjoy these trail stories, help give back to the trail. It needs all the love and help it can get. Nature is brutal to it!