In the summer of 2023, my wife Alana and I set off to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail with our 9-month-old daughter Enedina in tow. Our journey began in Washington, near the Canadian border with our dreams of individual transformation and immersion still intact. Long days on the trail coupled with the reality of intent care in wild environments and the accompanying lack of sleep quickly brought us crashing back to reality. It took many sweeping views, tears, laughter, arguments, and sleepless nights before we realized that it wasn’t our trip, but Enedina’s. We ended up hiking roughly 1,500 miles over 3 months, finishing at the northern edge of the Mojave Desert in Southern California.
You Carry the Tent, I’ll Carry the Baby