There is so much I have to be thankful for; number
one my health. When I retook ownership
of my 1976 goal to walk the Pacific Crest Trail summer of 2013 my walk began in actuality then. Knowing that I first
had to earn the best possible grades in order to accomplish mastery of my
bachelor’s degree, and that in two years, I would complete my goal of earning
my bachelor’s degree. I began slowly the
first year exercising and eating better all the while earning 3.5’s to 4.’s
every semester. I continued learning.
2014 brought many changes into my life. Mom was diagnosed with her fourth cancer in
25 years; bravely and with grace as always she fought but this battle she lost 5
December 2014. Dad was diagnosed with
his third cancer which there was no fighting and he died from it 22 October
2014.
By August ’14 and fall semester’s
beginning, along my proper eating and additional exercise my weight was over
fifty pounds less than June 2013. Fall '14 semester’s beginning was difficult.
Talk about a tough semester with no sleep or rest, classwork mounting,
parents fighting for their lives, my second car of the year totaled, this one also by somebody else; it was just life
quadrupled. I didn't quit then just as I haven't quit my P.C.T. desires.
2015 saw me maintaining
my 3.5-4. G.P.A. earnings per semester.
The loss of my parents remained however, the emotions changed into a
deep appreciation. I changed
my appreciation of everything with an awesome depth of clarity. Class work has remained challenging, but doable
and always completed. Same thing with
my diet and exercise; wearing my 20+pound school backpack whenever possible is
still my thing.
2015 12 December is my graduation day from Oklahoma
State University with my Bachelor’s in University Studies, with an emphasis in
general science and history. My millennial
G.P.A. will be right at a 3.69, while my lifetime G.P.A. will be right at a 3.02. These last 5 years have been years of mastery
and discovery. I am so grateful for my
mom’s unbounded and unwavering encouragement towards my attaining a college
degree.
2016 my visions are still of being on trail,
right now while mentally I am ready for the challenge, although financially I am ill
prepared. My goals are still to celebrate
my 55th birthday on the
P.C.T.; unfortunately missing my daughter Ren’s graduation from the University
of Oklahoma, as well as whatever else follows with life during trail time. Reality is I will probably be celebrating my
fifty-fifth birthdayJ 29 July somewhere in Oklahoma and not in No Cali or So OregonL
on the P.C.T.
2016 will find me with more time to hit the trails
around the Tulsa area as well as attaining better employment. So with a 30 pound pack and continuing towards
a 36 inch waist which is 20 pounds away I will continue training.
Who knows what the trail of my New Year
holds, maybe I’ll be training for the 2017 P.C.T. hiking season. “Plans change on the trail,” Edwardo from the
Class of ’15 told me. Plans change in
life too. I still envision myself
enjoying the 360 degree view from atop Mount Whitney as a P.C.T.er. Who knows what life will bring. It is what it is.
As always I am thankful that you are reading this.
H.Y.O.H.,
C.U. Nobo Hans.
P.S. Mom told me she didn't understand my wanting to sleep on the ground in the woods and wilds, but since it was to raise money against our enemy cancer and her granddaughter's spondylitis, she was all in for my walk of the P.C.T.
Please remember to mention hearing about these folks from my blog when you contact them.
