Sunday, October 14th.

Sunday, October 14th: Today's miles = 24.2. Total PCT miles = 2,660.1 . Miles remaining = 0.

Today I stood at the US - Canadian border at the northern monument of the PCT!

It did not stop raining ALL day. It was raining when I took down my tent this morning and it was raining when I reached the monument and the end of the PCT this evening in the dark, soaked to the bone in rain and mud. My feet were squishing in my shoes (I lost a toenail) and the whole trail was a river. There was no escaping it. I got to a point 6 miles before the monument where I just stopped caring that I was dangerously cold. Until that point I was going to stop and set up camp, get my wet clothes off, and tend to the hypothermia I knew I had. When I reached the camp spot, though, it was 5pm and I said, "Screw it" and started storming off sloshing through the trail, kicking mud everywhere, putting my hands in plastic bags for warmth, and determining to to finish the PCT tonight! It wasn't smart. I know it wasn't.  I have only ever been that cold one other day in my life; when I summited Katahdin, ending my AT hike. Its when you go from being that cold to being all the sudden warm and delirious that you have to worry. I was warm and delirious those last 6 miles. I though those last 6 miles would be the longest 6 miles of the whole trail. They were in fact the shortest 6 miles of the whole trail! I was so determined to get to the end of the PCT. I was hiking faster than I usually ever do partly because I wanted the border, partly because it was getting dark, but mostly because I knew I needed to keep my body as warm as possible. I reached the border and ended my PCT thru hike at 7pm tonight! Of course it was dark, raining, and miserable. I took a picture, signed the log book, and left. I didn't waste much time there because I needed to get my wet clothes off and have a warm drink. I was planning on camping just 2/10ths of a mile into Canada so I told myself I would come back in the morning. At the camp site when I got there were Funk, Trooper, Big Cat, Styles, and COWBOY! Shep dog and G came in after me. Cowboy had gotten a ride up trail a little, had his arm in a pillow case sling, and finished the PCT with his friends.

Even though I am done with the PCT I am not done hiking. I have to hike 8 miles from the border here where I am camped to Manning State park. I was wishing so badly last night that there was a road at the end of the PCT so I could hitch into town, shower, and eat. Instead I had to set up my tent in the rain and mud. Many people can't enter Canada for one reason or another; it mostly seems DWI's. Those people have to turn around at the monument and hike 30 miles back to Hearts pass where they can hitch. So, I have to say goodbye to Big Cat and Styles tonight before the rest of us go to Manning. We are all technically in Canada right now....but who's going to know? There is no official border crossing here, just a trail that leads into Canada. When I leave Canada there will be no record that I ever entered.

Tonight is my one last night on the PCT. It's because I'm still out here all smelly and gross that it dosnt seem like the trail is over. Tomorrow when I am clean and sleeping in a bed; when I wake up in the morning and don't have to hike, it will finally feel like I have completed a thru hike of the PCT!