Eleven Years Old on the PCT

This is great! Reminds me of my little sister who also loved hiking and webkinz, I hope you have a wonderful time!

small world Eric ;we (my son & me)left the kickoff right behind you last year and hiked the rest of the afternoon with you .If I remember Right you were on a fast track to try and make it to Ontario to fly home for your daughters birthday ,guess you made it .
and for a kicker I hiked in the same day group with "GOLDEN CHILD" from snow creek to hwy 18 big bear she was w/"SLIM JIM" & "MANGO" ,my son who you named "MAGNUM" had to go home @ Idllwild with a bad cold so I went on to big bear alone except for "Golden child" and her group.
just for a real kick we ran into you again near Dicks PASS (echo lake ) you heading north me & magnum heading south ,it was the end of August. we obviously didn't finish but wasn't planning to its a 2-3 year plan for us,if its the lords will
I did see that you pulled it off as I spotted your name on the 2010 2600 miler list . Congrats man ,what a small world it some times can get…..Jerry & "magnum"

Hope to see you at the ADZPCTKO and shake the hand of a great Father!

ERIC! Bloody hell, when you emailed me about this, I flipped. Now reading it, I am really so happy for you two! I have to show this to Amber (fossil) tonight!

Hope to meet up with you on the PCT, you will be hard to miss. It is great to be able to share a lifetime memory with your daughter.

This just really cool!! Hats off to Eric for a great attitude about all that has happened, and to his daughter who sounds like an absolute gem.

Since BPL is sponsoring this, how about setting up a PayPal account or similar so BPL members could donate to the trip?

Ed: Best wishes to a wonderful father!

Sunshine: Go, girl, go!!!

I'm very glad BPL did an article on this. Awesome to hear. Best of luck on the trail!

What a beautiful thing to do, for both of you, and for mom to be supportive ….You put a smile on my face, thanks.

Wow. What an amazing and incredible thing to even dream of doing as a kid. What a path to be on! Good luck, see the beauty, grow, strive and have a great time!

Awesome! Just awesome. Oh, and I wouldn't mind some more applesauce, either.

This is very very cool and major kudo's to BPL for publishing such a story – it's truly amazing. Way to go making lemonade from the lemons life gave you!

You read this story and it puts things into much needed perspective. What a fantastic opportunity for everyone involved!

Please let us know of your progress!
Dirk

Balls, I don't think I ever met Sunshine, but I remember her register entry at the Hat Creek Rim water cache was one of my favorite things on the entire trail last summer. Congratulations on your upcoming adventure. I have no doubt that it will be fantastic!
-Guthook

I don't even know where to start. First of all, thank you so much for your service and sacrifice. What a beautiful story and such an amazing way to embrace an opportunity! I wish you guys the very best! And, by the way, I'm sure there will be plenty of people that will be eagerly waiting to read the book you guys will write (no pressure, though). Electrician > author. :)

Congratulations…..you're going to have an epic trip. Her smile says it all.

I agree with Nick. How can we help contribute to their trip?

Sweet, very inspiring to those of us with kids.

Great story. Quite a terrfic combo: superdad and supergirl!

Good luck

Thanks for sharing the great story. Great inspiration for me, a dad to two little boys…

Such an amazing journey at such an age, Inspiring!

Have a ball of a time Sunshine!

P.S. Drop the homework and books, I'm sure the PCT has its own lesson plan. I mean we need to think of the extra ounces! well…That's if were talking gear list here :}

Sidenote: This past summer I met a another young trekker, an 8yr old boy who was thru hiking the AT with his father. Known as The Barbarian Horde Tecolote and Venado, (Owl and Deer ? ) I was amazed by Venado and how he seemed at home on the trail, confident and approachable. Venado was home schooled and for his independent project for the year, he came up with hiking the AT.

It is all pure awesomeness.

You must be an incredible father. If I am fortunate enough to have children, I'd like to be like you.

Eric – Thank you for this excellent article!

I sent my pops a few snippets hoping to rekindle his interest in backpacking and perhaps give him some motivation to start getting back into shape. I'd love to have some memories with him as that adventurous, outdoor-loving man he used to be.

Wish me luck!

-Dave

This is a fantastic idea. Thanks for doing an article on it. When I was 14 I was always planning trips that I was never allowed to take because I didn't have anyone to go with me =(

A wonderful story; thanks. There are challenges; I hope the summer goes well.