Halie Barger with Register Publications interviewed both Kendra and I a few weeks ago and published a very nice article about our PCT hike in the December 8th Issue of the Harrison Press. Thank you to Halie for a well-written article!
The article has been copied below:
Dad, daughter hike 2,600 miles
By Halie Barger – Reporter hbarger@registerpublications.com on Thursday, December 9, 2021
The trail was sometimes dangerous with paths that were as narrow as 18 inches. Photo
The trail ran from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington. Photo
The trail Ron and Kendra McAdams walked ran from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington. Submitted Photo
———————————————————————————-
Harrison native Ron McAdams and his daughter Kendra achieved something only a few people will do in their lifetime, they hiked the Pacific Crest Trail.
The hike is over 2,600 miles and runs from the Mexican border to the Canadian border through California, Oregon and Washington.
“It’s really more mental than physical,” Ron McAdams said.
McAdams, 61, completed the full Appalachian Trail in 2012 to check off an item on his bucket list. His trail name is “Bucket” for that reason. He said his daughter was the reason for taking on the Pacific Crest Trail. Together they hiked a 100-mile section on the Appalachian trail which made her want to try the Pacific Crest Trail.
“I could not have done it without him (Ron),” Kendra said. “I’m just really thankful I have a dad that’s adventurous and can introduce me to things like through-hiking.”
Kendra, 27, fully committed to the hike with her father. She quit her job working as an archive specialist for the city of Louisville where she lives. She also shaved her head to be ready.
“She was a warrior she made it all the way through and I’m just very proud of her,” Ron said. “She made a huge commitment and she even shaved her head.”
Shaving her head just made it easier for on the trail. She said hair was just one less thing for her to worry about. Leading up to the hike she donated her hair and tried out a variety of different cuts and colors before ultimately shaving it completely. By the end of the hike, her hair was grown to a pixie-cut length.
Ron prepared supplies and acquired the correct gear. The duo needed light weight gear in order to make the hike as easy as possible. He said he researched this part of the process was a necessity – having experienced a long-distance hike before he knew the materials needed to be light weight, but good quality.
They completed the trail in 153 days starting on April 18,finishing Sept. 23. They stayed at campsites along the trail only communicating with family back home when satellite and cell services were available.
“We always said we take this one day at a time,” he said.
Each day the distance they hiked would gradually increase and by the end of the journey they were hiking over 20 miles a day. The target was between 20 and 25 miles a day.
Their journey was chronicled on an online blog, https://bucketonthetrail.com/, Ron initially created for his hike on the Appalachian Trail in 2012. He got back into blogging for this hike to document the journey with photos and updates from the trip. Sometimes his wife Joy, who also served as ground control for the hike, had to update the blog as internet connection wasn’t always available. Leading up to the trip he posted updates on preparation work like practice hikes he would take in Shawnee Lookout and Fernald Preserve.
The hardest part of a hike like this one, Ron said, is the mental aspect. He said keeping a strong attitude and not getting bored are some of the biggest challenges when hiking a long distance.
“There’s a lot of very beautiful things and a lot of very exciting things, but a lot of it is really drudgery,” he said. “It just really becomes mental and not getting homesick things like that.”
There were also a couple of nerve-racking points in the trip. Areas like Knife’s Edge and Goat Tracks, both in Washington State, were scary for the two. But the weather was good, making it not as scary.
“You’re literally kind of walking on an 18-to-24-inch-wide trail that was right on this ridge of the mountain as you go through,” he said.
Kendra said there were a few times when she was a little scared.
One of their biggest hurdles was making sure they stayed away from the wildfires that were taking over the area. “Probably when we were outside Belden, California,” she said. “We woke up and saw a little bit of smoke in the distance. Then we stopped at Belden for a bit and started up this big climb that’s like 14 miles. Halfway up, we hit smoke and everything looked orange and ash was falling.”
She said they debated turning back, but didn’t know exactly where the fire was. So, they hurried along to a dirt road and found a group of hikers to camp with. That fire was the Dixie Fire.
Kendra said the whole family is hoping to one day take on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Ron is one long distance hike away in the United States from achieving a goal that not many have, the Continental Divide Trail.
“There’s something called the Triple Crown in long distance hiking,” he said.
Because he has completed the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail all he would have to complete is the Continental Divide Trail, which is over 3,000 miles long starting at the border in New Mexico and going through Colorado, Wyoming and Montana to the Canadian border.
“It may happen,” he said. “Never say never.”
————————————————————————————
The link to the article is provided below:
https://www.registerpublications.com/news-now-harrison-press-news/dad-daughter-hike-2600-miles