Today was a hard day. We started our morning with a 2 mile climb from our campsite at 7900 feet to 9090 feet. With a headache from the altitude, nausea from being out of shape, and lack of sleep it made for one awful climb. During the night we had 25mph winds slam our tent until 3am and below freezing temps that made it difficult to get comfortable. I spent a large portion of the night being startled awake by loud gusts of wind.

This lifestyle we lead is not what it may seem. Our social media post and conversations with others have people everywhere excited for us as well as envious of the “freedoms” we have. Though it is not as glamorous as it may seem. While we get to experience beauty most people never get the chance to, this lifestyle can sometimes be tough. Tough to the point where I question if it is the lifestyle I truly want.

When we long distance backpack we put in long days of hard work, deal with aching bodies and pains, have an insatiable hunger, and spend up to a week without a shower or the comforts of modern life. When we travel we can go months just the two of us, no stable home base or income, missing our families and friends. To which this morning I pondered the question. Is it worth it?

While the first half of our day was filled with tough miles and feeling uncomfortable, the second half brought gentle trail and much needed hindsight. I wouldn’t trade this lifestyle for any other. Being uncomfortable has made me who I am. For when I am content I do not push myself to achieve more. I wouldn’t be where I am today without putting myself in uncomfortable situations.

Daily Mileage: 10.3 Total AZT Miles Backpacked: 14.7 of 788.7