Yes, I am joining the Peace Corps (or techinically, at this point I HAVE joined) as of two days ago I can claim that I am an official Peace Corps Trainee. 

Yes, I’m moving to Africa.  For the next 27 months I will live and serve in the small country of Lesotho. Lesotho is a landlocked country located in the southern part of South Africa.  

No, I’m not crazy.  

Yes, I am excited. 

Absolutely, I’m scared.  

Why you may ask would I do this… voluntarily move to the developing word, sell all my things, live without modern conveniences such as electricity….

Since college I have been interested in and intrigued by the work the Peace Corps does in the developing world.  As I have grown in my understanding of the work of faith, our human responsibility to one another and the task of active peace making I have found more value in the work of promoting peace through friendship, community and partnership.  

And so, I am leaving everything that I know and entering the unknown… following a call to work for peace, love my neighbor and to be a witness for those who cannot go. 

I will do my best to share my experience… but be patient… internet may be scarce and electricity is not guaranteed. 

Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated as I will be dependent upon the support of you my community stateside and my Lesotho community and fellow volunteers.  

Blessings friends as we all work for peace, 

Bren

This is real Peace Corps Lesotho 2017 

It’s been over two months since we called it quits and entered back into the “REAL WORLD.”  Although I am even guilty of using that terminology I don’t even know what it means.  It seems to me that much of the trail was far more real and authentic than what I tend to busy myself with out here in the “real world.”  

On the trail we were very aware of our needs and genuinely concerned with our basic survival.  Each day was structured around finding water, food and shade.  Rather than being preoccupied with silliness, we were distracted by the pain creeping into our feet or the sun beating down on us.  Instead of overextending ourselves with packed schedules and far too many commitments we savored the opportunity to get into our sleeping bags early or break camp late.  We counted minutes until zero days and planned to absolutely do nothing.  

Life on the trail was so good and at the same time life on the trail was beyond hard. Above all though Life on the trail was REAL.  After the trail it didn’t take long for the “real” world to creep back up on us… and with it we have resolved to hold onto some of the trail life.  We aspire to enter into any world/life situation carrying with us the authenticity, wonder and simplicity of a life lived well.  

Much love, 

M&B
What’s Next: 

Mattea has made her way back to North Carolina where she has begun the next chapter as a staff member at the school responsible for making us friends.  She is working in admissions at Campbell University Divinity School helping potential students to hear and discern their call. 

I (Brenda) am preparing for the next adventure as a member of the Peace Corps. I will be serving 27 months in the country of Lesotho, a landlocked country surrounded by South Africa.  I will be working primarily as an education volunteer teaching English in the primary schools.  I will continue to share my journey here on the blog as I am able. 
We still have aspirations to share some tales from the trail so check back later.  The “real world” has kept us a bit busier than we had hoped but we still want to share with each of you.  

Our arrival on the trail was preceded by months of planning, hours of reading reviews about gear, countless conversations with loved ones assuring them that we weren’t crazy and yes we would be safe.  The first two days on the trail we took turns remarking how awesome it was that we were finally here, how surreal to be living a dream.  The beginning just felt so exciting and so very grand.

The end did not feel that way… The end felt more like waking up, sad to leave the dream world behind.  The end was preceded by chronic foot pain that would not relent (for Brenda), frustration with the weather and trail conditions (this was not the year for the PCT), a confusing mix of emotions, and taking turns remarking that we didn’t want this to end but we felt like it was time to go.

We have made the call, we are off the trail.   

As you may remember from our previous post we moved to the Oregon Coast Trail (OCT), due to unfavorable trail conditions on the PCT.  Shortly after our start on the OCT we encountered a new set of obstacles, the OCT is a prescribed route rather than a trail, meaning it is not setup for a true thru hike.  The OCT is a series of trails that you can string together with a substantial amount of beach walking and road walking.  While the beach walking was enjoyable the road walking proved dangerous and tiring.  Additionally, since it is not currently setup for thru hiking campsites are few and far between.  The views were magnificent but the daily planning and the frustrations of this trail wore on us.

With the weather, PCT trail conditions, hurting bodies and worsening feet we found some of the joy of the trail was missing.  We came out for an adventure and a pilgrimage and when it started to become a chore we realized we needed to make a decision.  It was a hard call, one we wish we hadn’t had to make but we are confident it was the right call, the wise call.

We have been supported and encouraged along the way and we thank each of you for that.  Thanks for making sure we knew that this was crazy, thanks for telling us you were proud of us, thanks for sending us resupply boxes and messages of encouragement. Thank you for sharing this with us.  Although the walking is done (for now) we hope to share some more tails from the trail over the next couple weeks, so stay tuned for some more about our epic adventure, but until then…

Happy Trails,

M&B

resupply time!Tillamook Head Hiker Camp
The lighthouse at Yaquina Bay 

Birthday celebrations on the trail 

crescent Beach, OrCape Perpetua, Or

S’more Fun Trail Friends old and new!
 

We all know the helpful but slightly frustrating sound of the GPS announcing that due to some fault of ours or hers she is now “rerouting,” adjusting the route, finding an alternative. Rerouting often comes out of nowhere, can be frustrating but is ultimately necessary.  

“Rerouting” has been a bit of a theme on our journey thus far. We have grown accustomed to and expect obstacles and interruptions, causing us to adjust and find an alternative.  
We’ve encountered trail closures due to fire which cut off a portion of the trail. Or a closure to protect the endangered “yellow legged frog” which added miles. 
We’ve recalculated when a 27 mile stretch of trail with no water seemed a bit much for our tired bodies. We’ve rerouted when the heat of the desert and the promise of snow packed mountains threatened to steal the joy of the journey. We’ve recalculated when one of us got sick and we had to turn around and hike out the way we came.  
And now we continue the theme of rerouting as we have been faced with a still snowy and treacherous Oregon section of the PCT. Rather than push through into bad trail conditions we have jumped over to the Oregon Coast Trail. The Oregon Coast Trail is a less popular trail that runs the length of Oregon from north to south along the coast. The OCT is more of a prescribed route rather than a trail made up of beach walking, dirt trails and a good bit of waking along the highway 101. So far on the OCT we’ve had to reroute, turn around, hitch hike, ride a bus and even hail a boat. It’s taking a lot to just roll with every obstacle and intervention but we’re finding that “rerouting” is just part of the adventure. 
Happy Trails, 
M&B 

PCT Mile 400! Smiling because it’s a cloudy day. Burney Falls in Northern California Mt Shasta, look at all that snow 

Oregon Coast Trail trailhead 

Indian Beach, Or view from Tillamook Head… where we slept in a mouse infested cabin… we will tell you about it later 😉 “experienced hikers only” 

Haystack rock in Pacific City, Or

It’s been over a month since our journey began. We have been surprised how quickly this nomadic lifestyle has begun to feel normal and yet it is hard to believe we’ve been at it for over a month.  

Here’s a quick overview of the first 30+ days. 

Week One-

• Made our way to the Campo, CA and the southern terminus via San Diego public transportation.
• We then had to hike a mile just to get to the trailhead… we were tired before we even started. 
• Once on the trail we quickly learned between the heat, elevation change and rattle snakes this trail was no joke! 
• We got our first taste of the hiker community and the variety of personalities on the trail. We met “Glow Worm” on day two, so named because she moved like an inch worm and wore a neon pink shirt that seemed to glow. Met “The Sisters” Hattie and Maisey on day three who we became fast friends with. 
• Got our first shower at Mt. Laguna a long sweaty three days from Campo. 
• Filtered water from a horse trough full of stagnate greenish water… only to drink every last drop over the next 17 dry miles. 
• Had our first taste of trail magic in the form of Trail Angel George handing us watermelon and then “Brew Hiker” who appeared at just the right moment offering us soda and a ride into Julian, CA. 

Week Two-

• Fell in love with the town of Julian, CA and their hospitality to hikers. Got free pie at Mom’s. Spent some time at Carmen’s, cafe which is closed during hiker season to everyone but “Hiker Trash. 
• Slept in our first bed at the Julian Hotel where Mattea may or may not have taken three showers 😉 
• Hiked for the first time after dark. 
• Added tarantulas, chipmunks, rabbits, wild turkeys and more snakes to our wildlife sightings. 
• Began hiking with solo hikers Brian, 19 from Virginia and Cheryl “Not Strayed,” 49 from Chicago. 
• Brenda ate her first burger in five years at the trail famous “Paradise Cafe.” 
• Made it to Idyllwild, CA where we took our first zero day, a day without hiking. Enjoyed a movie at the “Rustic Theater,” ate so much food, met Sue, slept in a bed, showered and did laundry.  

Week Three

• Leaving  Idyllwild we hiked the Devils Slide Trail a difficult uphill 2.5 mile trail to get back on the PCT. (We are not fans of miles that are not PCT miles.)
• Enjoyed the views in the San Jacinto mountains. 
• Saw our first bits of snow! 
• Hit 200 miles. 
• Hiked our hardest 4 miles to date – a sandy desert stretch with no shade and loose sand underfoot. 
• Experienced some trail magic under the I-10 bridge in Cabazan, CA, local trail angels stock a cooler with cold sodas and water. 
• Received further trail magic from trail angels DNA, Ice and Hillbilly. (Full story to come) 
• Spent a few zero days in Palm Springs… no Palm Springs is not on the PCT. (Stay tuned for details) 

Week Four-

• Saw our seventh rattlesnake, (maybe a trail record) 
• Enjoyed a moonlit dinner by Silverwood Lake. 
• Rode in an uber on a drivers first day.
• Mattea ate three McDonalds Burgers in one sitting and wasn’t even full.
• After a zero day in Wrightwood we tested our hitch hiking skills and caught the fastest hitch ever! 
• Hiked above the clouds. 
• Took in the view from Baden Powell summit 9399ft, the highest point on the PCT south of the Sierras. 
• Had our first campfire of the trail. 
• Due to the high temps, heat rashes, blisters and hurting feet we made the decision we were done with the 

Prior to coming on the trail we knew we would skip the Sierras due to the snow and trail conditions, but we decided we would take some time off and make the jump a little earlier. So week five was spent eating too much, sleeping in beds and basically acting like slugs! 
Stay tuned for what’s been happening in month two! 
Happy Trails, 
M & B

Some hiker friends and our first Trail Angel- George! First burger in five years…. couldn’t finish the whole thing. Filtering some water. Hiking above the clouds. 

Home sweet tent!First fire complete with a private concert by Brian. 

On the trail the phrase “hike your own hike” is commonplace. It refers to the concept that this journey, this walk we are doing is ours and ours alone. No matter how many hikers have walked this trail before us and how many will follow us we have to make the hike personal and meaningful for us. 

Brenda: 

Like most of us I don’t like to do things I’m not good at, I have a desire and want to be the best at what I put my time and efforts to. But what I’ve come to realize and accept on the trail is that “I am no good at this.” I am not fast, I can’t fathom 20+ mile days, at the top of every uphill I am winded and ready for a break, I tire of bathrooms behind bushes. I am not going to be the best at hiking the PCT… that’s not going to happen. However, I can hike a hike that is uniquely mine, a hike that is meaningful to me. I can hike a hike that pushes my limits physically but respects my limitations, I can hike a hike that allows for experiencing beauty rather than speed. I can hike a hike that’s value is not based on how I’m doing in relation to other hikers. I am learning that my best hike is a hike that is mine. 
Mattea: 

The first time I heard a hiker say, “hike your own hike,” I had no idea how much I would come to embrace this simple little phrase. I had these grand ideas of averaging 20+ miles a day and only taking 1 day a week off and never skipping miles. Well, we have yet to have a 20 mile day, we’ve taken more than 1 day off a week so far, and we’ve definitely skipped some miles. And I don’t feel bad about any of it! Life on the trail is much more than I was expecting it to be and half of the adventure has taken place off the trail with a trail angel we’ve stayed with or a little mountain town we’ve explored with other hikers who have become friends. I was tempted at first to beat myself up over skipping miles here and there or taking 2 zero days instead of 1 but this is our hike and we are journeying the best way we know how. Embracing the challenges, enjoying solitude and community, fully engaging with the people and nature around us, and enjoying rest whenever and wherever we can find it.

On the trail there are all sorts: purists and skippers, experienced hikers and well Brenda 😉 there may be one trail but there are multitudes of hikes. “Hike your own hike” friends, make your path your own. Blessings on your journey! 

Happy trails, 
M&B 
Waiting for a ride! Good Morning Sunshine! Lakeside supper still smiling brr it’s cold! But it sure tasted good 🙂

When asked “how is the trail?” Our response has been “hard.” We expected it to be hard and we have not been disappointed. While the experience has been rewarding and the good far outweighs the bad “this is hard” can be heard muttered by one, or both of us more than a few times each day. 
Mattea: 

My legs hurt, my knees hurt, my shoulders hurt, and boy do my feet hurt. At any given moment during the day there are at least two places in my body that are hurting and crying out for a break. When we are going uphill my legs and my lungs are burning. When we go downhill my knees throb. When we trek in the sand with the sun beating down the arches of my feet aching. And I’m constantly hungry. No matter how much I eat within an hour I’m hungry again. Our days consist of about 7 meals: breakfast, after breakfast snack, lunch, first afternoon snack, second afternoon snack, dinner, before bed snack…….and somehow I’m STILL hungry.      

On multiple days, “blood, sweat, and tears” have been a reality. It’s only been 2 weeks and I’ve already wondered if I’m strong enough to do this for 4 months. Everyday when we crawl out of our tent it’s hard to put our pack on again but once we get going it doesn’t take long to remember why we’re out here. It’s beautiful. It’s simply beautiful. The kind of beautiful that makes you wonder if what your looking at is real. The kind of beautiful that floods you with peace and leaves you with a sense of wonder. But it’s not just the nature that’s beautiful. It’s the people too. We’ve met so many people who have made this journey more joyful and just a little less hard. This is hard but I think it has to be and I think we will be stronger because of it.

Brenda:
The uphills are steep, the days are long and the sun is hot, oh so HOT! I have had pretty impressive burns on my hands, a heat rash, what we call the “hiker hobble” and regardless of how much water I drink I’m always thirsty. I’ve seen more than my fair share of snakes and have been poked by a few unidentified cacti. I’m developing thick skin emotionally, strong legs and tough feet, but the transformation is not without pain, sweat and tears.  
And yet each day I am surprised by how strong we actually are, I am proud of what we’ve accomplished and I’m impressed by our ability to continue. “Be strong and courageous” has been my battle cry as we turn another corner and find yet another steep hill. This is hard but we are strong and we are tough and we will continue. 

Happy Trails, 

M & B

Brenda’s blisters (affectionately called reptile hands) 

It’s not all hard… sometimes it’s sweet, like when we get free pie from Mom’s in Julian, CA. Left our mark at Carmen’s in Julian rattle snake #6 

100 miles! Eagle Rock with some of our trail buddies First Resupply box arrived!  Classic PCT pic at Mile 109.5 Just filtering some water and taking a selfie(no caption needed) 
Trail Log 

• Day 5 – 16 miles 
• Day 6 – 9 miles – spent the afternoon in Julian, CA… slept in a real bed! 
• Day 7 – 8 miles – late start because did we mention the bed 😉 
• Day 8 – 15 miles 
• Day 9 – 8.5 miles… spent the afternoon in Warner Springs, CA took a bucket shower. 
• Day 10 – 17 miles 

It’s been a week since our last post and six days since we left Campo. It’s been a hard but beautiful week. What we’ve found is that as awe inspiring as some of the views we have seen are the people who have been a part of the journey thus far. People who through their kindness and goodness have made our experience possible and rich. 

• Family who has helped and is helping with our resupplies. 
• Friends who generously gave to our cause.   
• Buds who drove us to the airport to start this crazy journey. 
• Strangers on the bus who went out of their way to guide and redirect us. 
• A friendly face when we looked like we needed one. 
• A bus driver who shared her story with us and wished us well with ours. 
• Fellow hikers who have rooted for us and offered advice. 
• Trail angels who show up at just the right time offering us watermelon, or a cold drink (cactus cooler- a really delicious orange pineapple soda), or a ride when our legs can’t go any further. 

We have been recipients of kindness and goodness, we have seen humans at their best and it has made the start of our trek sweet and awe inspiring. 
Mattea wrote in her journal earlier this week and it continues to be true, “Humans are good, kind, helpful and caring. Don’t let encounters with the few who aren’t blind you from all who are.”  
Strangers have reminded us that humans are good. Be good, be kind… you might be a part of someone else’s hike.  
Happy trails, 
M & B 
Trail Log 

• Day 1 – 12.5 miles 
• Day 2 – 15 miles 
• Day 3 – 16 miles 
• Day 4 – 10 miles 

Animal Spottings  

• 1st rattlesnake at mile 4 
• 4 snakes on our first day 
• Bobcat on day 2 
• Lots of lizards, bunnies, horned lizards, a couple wild turkeys with Luke,another hiker who started the same time as us.

Mattea signing the register at the trailheadwe made it! To mile 1! Mattea rigged up a clothes line!  Highlight of our day!  

And So It Begins.
Well over a year ago Mattea and I had a casual conversation about a trail way out west called the Pacific Creat Trail (PCT) and how cool it would be to thru hike, you know, ‘someday.’ It was a conversation like many “what ifs…” and “wouldn’t it be cool” conversations. Thoughts and dreams that we don’t pursue because it doesn’t seem feasible, possible or practical… but something about this conversation, this dream stuck. “Wouldn’t it be cool,” and “what if” turned into “why not?!” and “let’s do it.”
This morning the conversation became reality, this morning we embarked on a dream that may not be practical may not appear possible… this morning we became adventurers.
Today we flew across country to hike for close to four months with no change of clothes, three pairs of socks (you don’t wanna know how few pairs of underwear 😉 ) a pack full of supplies and a friend to walk beside.
Tomorrow we will begin our trek north from the southern terminus to the Canadian border. We will attempt to walk close to 2000 miles. Regardless of how many miles we walk, today we did it, today we became adventurers.
Happy Trails,
M & Bits here! Mattea’s gear Brenda’s Gear our last meal! Waffle House for the win!

Peace Out!whats that on your back?!