As Sunshine and I prepared for our epic 2,652 mile adventure on the PCT, I noticed a change in my youngest daughter, Annika. Some called it jealousy, but she had a legitimate complaint. Sunshine and I had this great connection between us as we prepared, and we were receiving packages every day from our 19 sponsors. It was like Christmas for us, but she was feeling left out. I was starting to hear her speak negatively about her self, and she was clearly feeling less than special.
Our bank manager agreed to send Sunshine goodies for the trail, and Annika sheepishly hung her head and said, "I like candy too." The manager was so kind, and said "Annika, would you like to be sponsored too?" She then bought them both the same things. However, to complicate matters further, the friend (Shrek) who was dropping us off at the PCT Kick Off event wanted to stop by Disneyland for Sunshine on our way there. The hike was one thing, but how do you take one child to Disneyland, but not the other? As far as I know, there is no forgiveness for that!
While laying sleepless in bed like a little kid waiting for the trip to begin (it was like the night before Christmas for over a month), it came to me! We'd bring Annika with us to Kick Off! Win, win, win! She comes to Disneyland. She comes to Kick Off and becomes acquainted with the trail community, and she can see what all the excitement is all about for a thru hike. Shrek agreed to let her ride down with us. I called our friend Chipmunk, who was flying to Kick Off, and she was more than happy to fly Annika home afterward.
Crisis averted! Annika was immediately engaged once I announced that she would be joining us for both Disneyland and Kick Off. She joined us in packing, preparing, and of course buying essential supplies like treats, hiking clothes, and a butterfly net. She and Teresa, my wife, will be supporting us through Oregon in the month of August. Friends and family began sending her packages of camp activities and goodies to keep her busy while waiting on us to come out to the next road.
Kick Off was awesome! It was like camping with 700 of your closest friends. I have always found it difficult to find like-minded people to hike with in our area, but that's not a problem at Kick Off. Everyone dresses the same, has the same type of tents, wakes up early to get a jump start on their hike, and can spend hours telling you how they cut 5 ounces from their base weight. It's kind of like a weird hiking cult, except you don't have to drink any poisoned Kool-Aid... just Gatorade.
Annika had so much fun with us. Of course she loved the excitement of the trip down and Disneyland, but she absolutely loved chatting the ears off the hikers at Kick Off. The Pearl Girls watched her while Sunshine and I knocked out our first 20-mile day from the border. She is now excited about hiking and even asked to go on family hikes each day when she and her mother visited us at Hiker Town last month.
ARTICLE OUTLINE
- Hard Feelings
- Weather
- Feet/Health
- Trail Names
- Education
- Gear
- Flora and Fauna
- What's Next?
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# PHOTOS: 16
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Companion forum thread to:
We’re Going to Disneyland!
Wow Eric sounds like Sunshine is a real trooper. Its fun when I kids gets into backpacking with you ain't it. Congradulations and good luck, I hope you two have a great rest of the summer. Loved the article!
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Wow, 19 sponsors and you then added a Paypal Donation Button, dude, you do have "balls".
I have truly enjoyed following your story. It is an inspiration to me. Eric, you wrote "We were meant to be surrounded by the beauty and peace of creation and the ones we love, not have our souls crushed by a greedy, heartless boss." and I agree whole-heartedly. Is it any wonder that we all love and want to spend so much time in creation where we find peace and comfort when we realize that creation is the essence of God? You both are in my prayers and I can't wait to find out where you've been and what you've seen next. Balls and Sunshine, good walkin' to ya.
Thanks to all the sponsors that have made this trip possible. Really.
Awesome! I missed the previous part, need to find it now.
I somehow missed the first article so I went back and reread it. Wow Eric you are one cool dad. I appreciate how you want to pour into both your daughters. Having spent most of my adult life dealing with kids in one way or another I can tell you it makes a huge difference when adults make their kids a priority whether its backpacking trips or trips to Disney! I can spend a day or two around a fews kids at camp or wherever and tell you exactly which kids have parents who pour into their kids and which kids have parents who don't. Sounds like your getting yours off on the right track and having a blast doing it. Good luck on the trail!
Absolutely Fantastic! I cannot wait to read the rest.
Picked up this thru-hiker Erin's journal from High Sierra where it was posted relative to current conditions. She seems to be hiking on the same schedule with Sunshine and has a few Sunshine stories and photos. Sunshine seems to be living up to her trail-name!
http://erinspctjournal.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html
Jake Rabbit here! Wow I'm honored to have met both of you last year. Keep up the good work, I wish I was on the trail again this year.
I loved reading this! So well written and so inspiring!!! Miss you guys and we all hope to see you when get a bit further north. Logan says hi to ya Sunshine and misses you.
For the link to Erins blog. I've been there and read up on her hike and got to see Balls and Sunshine (feels funny writing that!) and really enjoyed it. Thanks again for posting the link.
Did you miss the part where he says, "in response to all the questions about donations?"
But cha' can't blame a guy for tryin'.
Incredible, you are an inspiration and your daughter even more so.
Thanks for the update.
I have avoided this thread because it had the word Disneyland in it; glad I finally got curious enough to find out it was about you guys…Such a nice read, such a nice adventure. Thanks!
"Wow, 19 sponsors and you then added a Paypal Donation Button, dude, you do have "balls"."
Wow, your very first post on these forums is to disparage someone doing something very cool. It's a rather different part of the body I'd associate with you dude, rhymes with "no class"……
Yeah Doug. I was going to say something too, but wanted to leave a positive note instead….I am glad they are getting a lot of support and inspire so many people.
Thanks Balls and Sunshine and all your sponsors and supporters.
This is inspirational. I have a dream of doing a thru-hike with my whole family one day…
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