September 18, 2024 - Day 124
Four months on trail. To the day. We woke up from a freezing cold night excited and filled with bittersweet emotions. Today is the day we finish the trail.
It was just an 11 mile walk to the monument but we did everything we could to have a slow and leisurely pace out of camp. Spoons, Picasso and I all had Canada entry permits, meaning we can continue walking into the country an additional seven miles to reach Manning Park, a resort with beds and a restaurant. The rest of the crew has a 30 mile walk back to Harts Pass where they will get a ride into the town of Mazama, and then take a bus to Vancouver to meet us.
The walk for us was all down hill and started with immense cloud cover but after an hour or so, the clouds began to clear revealing the mountain range surrounding us. We crossed over Hopkins Pass and continued down hill noting the mountain ranges ahead of us… Canada.
After entering more dense forest and traversing down several switchbacks, we were greeted with a loud cheer… a crew in front of us welcoming our group to the monument. We arrived at the border of the US and Canada. It wasn’t anything spectacular, the views werent anything special and we were still in the middle of nowhere, but we’d never been more excited to reach this particular middle of nowhere.
I’d like to say we had moments of clarity, and found the true meaning of the hike in this moment. I’d like to say we were relieved and incredibly emotional about reaching the monument. And I’d like to say we had the realization of our purpose and next steps… but alas, these moments did not come. In reality, I’m inclined to say we found these things along the way. An aggregate of experiences that can be seen in the details of our lives as we reenter society. Who knows.
We did it. Something that has no true tangible value, and something that most people have no interest in doing or can even understand why someone would do this. But for us, it became integrated into our entire lives. I can hardly think of life before the trail. To not wake up everyday and hike. To not start each day with discomfort, struggle, joy, gratitude in the span of ten minutes in the company of some of the smartest, most motivated individuals I’ve ever encountered.
We sweated, spat, bled, laughed, sang, cursed, cried, yelled, and rambled. Bust most of all, we walked. For four months. This experience will stay with me for the rest of my life. I can’t believe it’s over, but for now, I’m ready for a shower and a clean bed.
Thank you mom and dad for the love and support. I’m sure being off the grid for four months was hard at times, as it was for me. I love you, Lizzie, and the rest of the family very much. Your love was felt on this trail in ways I can’t explain.
I will post my photos, videos, and more on my instagram page @jbwils in the coming weeks.
Thank you all and I hope you enjoyed following along.
Happy trails…
