We are still alive. Jonathan and I are both in St. Louis, MO. Here's a little photo series/update! Hope all the 2015 PCT hikers out there are enjoying their prep work, I definitely feel like I could hit the trail again. Ozark Trail, the CDT, the AT, the American Discovery Trail. So many opportunities for adventure. So much of the world to see. I digress... on to the meat and potatoes:
Jonathan is a photojournalist by training. His eye is searching, he is framing, he is that weird guy with a big camera that you manage to lose track of when suddenly he's by a tree on the hill snapping shots of you while you walk by. He completed a photo series, the shots of all the hiker trash, as we walked the PCT which he posted on the blog a while ago.
This is my somewhat meta project of Jonathan shooting while we hiked. Carrying a 3 lb camera mounted on a hip holster while you hike 20+ miles a day can be tough, I heard about it more than once. While I carried a Fuji X100 during the early stages of the trek, by Northern California I had shipped the x100 and was taking pictures with my iPhone exclusively. I have a lot of respect for his work ethic while we traveled - tuning out the noise, writing, shooting, editing, posting. Many hikers start blogs, few keep them alive. I was lucky to hike with someone so talented in that respect.
The first day out. We both took a ton of pictures. The trail was new and we were finding out what worked.
Third day on the trail, close to the Sunrise Highway in southern California. The trail overlooks a large stretch of desert, I think the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Jonathan sets up a group photo on what very well might have been a cornice on Forester Pass. Heart attack.
Taking a picture and a break lake-side. We were on our Mt. Whitney evening approach.
I think Quinoa made it across dry this time.
Jonathan shooting some climbers just after they reached the top of Halfdome. The most stunningly beautiful place I've ever been.
We all took a ton of pictures on Halfdome. Here is Jonathan taking a break to shooting on the way down.
This was the day we reached the halfway point on the PCT. This is the last time I saw Pedi for a little while, I reached the halfway point with Midway.
I caught Jonathan shooting for his Hiker Trash project. Usually I was holding the Tyvek in the background, luckily I shirked my responsibility to get a pic.
Fast forward. Jonathan captures another of the more beautiful scenes on the PCT - Mt. Rainier to the south, sun setting to the west. This was the day after my sickness in Washington.
An appropriate end to a trip. Frizzle getting some classy shots at the PCT northern terminus. Note the clear-cut US/Canadian border. Neat.
Cheers folks, thanks for checking out the blog
Dan