#juracresttrail

[findingmewhereeverimaybe]

My body is finally starting to feel better after several weeks now. I did a whole yoga flow with no complications! This is great news for my hike. I am making sure to listen to my body so I know where to set my limit in order to be in full health for the Jura Crest Trail. #JuraCrestTrail #switzerlandbound #yogaeverydamnday #yogavideo #fishpose #balance #hiking #hikingtraining #findingmewhereeverimaybe #instayoga #backbend (at Janesville, California)

[findingmewhereeverimaybe]

Hello,

My name is Holly Talkington, I am 24 years old and was born and raised in Reno, NV. From June 2009 to April 2015 I lived in Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA. During that time lots happened, but I won’t get into that. Currently I am in Las Vegas, NV and plan to be here until July 20, 2015 when I will catch (as of right now) a one way flight to Geneva, Switzerland. This is where I will start my journey. I will hike the Jura Crest Trail solo, this trail is 310 km (192 miles). If all goes as planned I should complete this in about a month. 

Why am I doing this you may ask? Well... I have always wanted to go backpacking long distance. It wasn’t until I took an Intro to Outdoor Leadership class at PCC taught by Brad Martin during the Winter 2015 term that it started to fall together. Long story short, from a project my group and I put together for this class is where the planning began. We were to design this if we were going to actually do it. I decided that if I am going to put this together then I should do it. We decided Switzerland since I have friends there and it would help cut costs plus making planning the trip easier. Maggie (my now great friend who has helped me so much with this) found the Jura Crest Trail, we all agreed and the planning began. At first I think I was just blowing hot air saying I was going to do this, little did I know two months later I would be buying my plane ticket. 

A combination of things I think have really brought me to do hike the Jura Crest Trail solo. First, I kept saying I was, this was me talking myself into it and I just didn’t want to be all talk. Second, I feel like my chapter in the PNW had came to an end, after Spring term I would be done with school, I had no boyfriend, no career, so I thought “why not?” The pervious year brought many challenges, huge life changes from where I was, a lot of learning about myself and my environment, I needed something new. Third, is the encouragement and motivation from Maggie. She has really helped me take this step, she has helped me believe that I can do this, thank you Maggie. The fourth and I believe main reason I have slowly been discovering is, that I need to find me. I feel so diluted from my environment and everything that has happened in the course of my life. It’s time for me to spend some time with me, figure out what really matters to me and what I can let go. There is a lot I want to let go and I am hoping this hike will allow me to do this. Going alone will allow me to get that me time, be influenced by nothing other than myself and my journey. 

I have never hiked anything of this distance, yet alone leave the country. I have done camping trips but have only been on one backpacking trip. This will be one of the biggest challenges of my life. I am ready to test myself physically and emotionally. I know this will not be easy, I don’t want easy. There will be so many moments that make it worth it, the beauty that will present itself along the way and what comes after the trail. It is all so exciting, scary, nerve racking, and exhilarating to think about.

From now and then I will be training daily to prepare myself as much as I can before I go so my butt isn’t totally whooped. I am trying to work as much as possible to raise the money for my trip. I have gone from a very social life to a rather anti-social life (in comparison to how I used to be). This is to help me save money and get used to being alone.

After my trip as of now my plans are to come back to the states to start preparing for next journey in life with this really rad adventure partner.

Life is one big adventure, all I can do is make the most of it and do what feels right. 

[findingmewhereeverimaybe]

Repost from my Facebook April 1, 2015. On the road from Portland, OR to Reno, NV.

I'm officially on the road, almost out of Oregon. I have been reflecting on my last 6 years spent in Portland/Vancouver. So many magical memories and experiences. This is where I first took flight, I have learned so much about the world around me and myself. I have accomplished so much: graduated with an Associates of General Studies and a Sustainability Focus Award and soon will have my Associates or Arts Transfer, I received my 200 hour yoga teacher training certificate, traveled many places, went to fun festivals, made many friends and family, got my fluff nugget Juku, supported myself, worked some rad and not so rad jobs, taught yoga to many lovely spirits, discovered what I am passionate for, the list goes on. Thank you all for all of the support, love, experiences, lessons and memories all my beautiful beings of the Pacific Northwest. I am so grateful for you all. You've seen me through the good and bad. I'm so happy that I got to spend 6 beautiful years with you all in such a gorgeous place. I am now taking flight to the next chapter of my life; I'll be in Reno for a week before going to live in Las Vegas until July 20th when I catch my one way flight to Switzerland. There I will backpack the Jura Crest Trail for a month and spend at least two months there and in the surrounding area. From there we will see where the wind takes me. I love you PNW and will miss you dearly, until next time

[findingmewhereeverimaybe]

This is a piece of my Day 6 of training for the Jura Crest Trail. It was my las day of 15 minute intervals, along with strength training and minimum of 20 minute of yoga. Next week I'll be bumping it up to 20 minute intervals, strength training and a minimum of 25 minutes of yoga. It's getting easier everyday and I'm feeling stronger. I want to be in the best shape for my 200 mile backpacking excursion. #juracresttrail #switzerlandbound #backpacking #backpackingtraining #gettinginshape #workinghard #letsbreakasweat