When Jake and I left Jasper we told few people. Why? We were afraid we wouldn’t make it past the traffic lights at the end of town…What if we broke our ankles on Day 6? What if Jake and I fought on Day 12 and refused to speak again to each other? What if we just didn’t like it? What if…? We had never done anything like this before and so we had no idea what would happen. And if no-one had any expectations, it wouldn’t matter if we only made it to the traffic lights. We could just sneak back into town and none would be the wiser.

The further South we went, the more and more people became interested in our adventure. It always amazed me how many people cared and wanted to hear our stories. We have received many kind comments/emails and received a massive amount of support. THANK YOU EVERYONE! Here are some people we would like to specially mention:

David Harrap (Dad), Nancy Taylor (Mum), Mike Alleyne (Dad), Janet Gulbransen, Rebecca Conti (Sister), The Alpine Club of Canada, Marilynn Gulbransen, Steph and Pete Robinson, The Waxers, Allie Strel, Mike Mcmillan,  the employees at Anderson Dorn & Rader Ltd, Elizabeth Harrap, Jill Seaton, Doreen Lennie, Debbie Goodridge Quinn, Nicole Caron, Rick and Sarah Strel, Greg Van Tighem, Dr. Mark Mahler at Jasper Dental Clinic, The Dorks (Park/Dolan Family), Jasper Elementary School, Carmen and Jeff Alleyne (Nanny and Granddad), The Monettes, and Jim Alary.

Also, for those interested here are some links to our adventure in the media. Gulp!
http://globalnews.ca/video/1752892/former-ubc-students-hike-5500km-to-mexico/

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/BC/ID/2645632749/ (8:30 minute marker)

http://www.vancouversun.com/touch/story.html?id=10691584

http://www.thejasperlocal.com/and-they-would-walk-5000-km.html

http://www.thejasperlocal.com/the-world-at-their-feet.html

http://www.fitzhugh.ca/jasperites-conquer-the-great-divide/

After awhile you become quite attached to your backpack. Like a turtle and his shell, it becomes your home and a dear ol’friend. During this trip, we have had many different sizes of backpacks. When we left Jasper, our bags were 100 pounds. Some days they went down to 20 (not often enough though). The following is the story of our backpack.

For our food drops during the ski section, we attached a sled to our backpacks making manuevering around little more difficult...

We even had to ford creeks with the blasted sled!

We have to go how far with this ball and chain? Can't we just fly instead? No? Sigh.

Trying to get up on Day 2.

Still trying...

Third time the charm!

Being large and in charge, made things difficult. ..However, you never have to worry about someone stealing your backpack, I mean who would steal 100 pounds? Even if they did it might actually be reliving. And when you're the same size as a bear, no need to fret about them as well

Are we there yet?

Bit by bit the backpack got smaller. I think we are at 70 pounds here! Yay!

Nothing like desert walking with snow shoes.

Most days are spent hiking from dark to dark. We don’t usually have much time for anything else other than walking.  Except thinking – we may even have too much for that. Somedays my mind drifts to the following short article written by a fellow mountain man – Rick Collier. He was one of the most accomplished Canadian mountaineers and climbed all the mountains along the Great Divide from the USA border to Saskatchewan Crossing in Canada. In total he climbed over 1350 summits. He was killed in climbing accident near Jasper two ago at the age of 71. Like Rick, I also struggle with organized sports, preferring to slog and bushwack my way up a mountain slope or survival ski down a glacier. I seem to enjoy suffering or at least always find myself seeking it out.

Early on I realized that tennis, baseball, or any sport requiring the careful management of a spheroid was beyond my capabilities; indeed, most activities demanding agility and coordination were best left for more competent others.  However, I was exceptional at something quite different — suffering.  Give me sweating, gut-it-out, muscle-aching recreations and I excelled – long-distance running, cycle touring, multi-day ski trips, mountain climbing.  By age twenty I understood that this was not merely some S&M neurosis:  bushwhacking through a remote valley or hauling my carcass up the rubble and cliffs of yet another unremarkable summit was transfiguring; I was clawing myself out of the boxes that imprison us all – education, job, debt, responsibility, others’ expectations – I could breathe and smell and taste exquisitely, and, for a time, “see into the life of things.”

That passion has embraced me now for fifty years, inspiring me through untold kilometers of running, cycling, hiking, and skiing and up more than 1200 peaks.  I still lack the finesse to lead 5.12 rock or dry-tool my way to a detached icicle; more important now are the hoary marmots, the golden glacier lilies, the rolling, intricate alplands, the tangled crags, the brilliant snowfields, and the eagle soaring in the azure skies.

What luck it is that I still have “world enough and time” for new adventures and new explorations – for the secret valley and the curious grizzly, for the unnamed lake and the hidden couloir, and for the many still unclimbed mountains of the Rockies. – written by Rick Collier

Bush whacking along the Wood River (BC) in May. It was thick, steep, and really slow going. At the end of the day, I had a whole pine tree down my snow pants.

Grinny thought he’d flag down the train to get to the Land of Enchantment. But he was facing the wrong way and the train never stopped .

So they had to walk .

… and travel by horse.

Finally, the last of the mountains. And there it was , THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT  on the other side–(no wonder Grinny is smiling . . . )

WATCH OUT ROAD RUNNER: THE RACING RABBITS ARE COMING TO NEW MEXICO!!

The world would be a much drier place if it wasn’t for cows (at least for hikers). Thank you cows!

Collecting water in a cattle trough. After hiking almost 60 km without water, it was simply mooovelous!

Well we did it! Our final US state! I just can’t believe it – the end is in reach (sorta). New Mexico is still large (the 5th largest state) and we have 1000 kilometers to go. Nevertheless,  it’s exciting times! Here are a few pictures of our last couple weeks:

Some snowshoeing in Southern Colorado. Blah!

Although this cabin had a rat feces problem, it was most welcome in the snow and cold.

The snow is getting high! Yikes!

I don’t even remember where this is…Colorado? Yes, lets say that.

Breakfast at camp.

We had a three day highway walk. Highway walking is the worst. Going to the bathroom is difficult as cars go by every 2 minutes and it’s dead flat. Practically no trees. What little water remains is heavily infested with cow, and camping is a problem. Everything is private property and since everyone is gun crazy, a farmer could shoot you for using a small rectangle of their land for our sleeping pads. The pavement is also very painful, I even tried walking with no shoes on, but that was much MUCH worse.

Having some roadside fun.

Passing a dispensary. Marijuana is legal in Colorado. This wooden shack was in the middle of no-where. One side was a cafe, the other sold pot.

Hitching from Cumbres Pass to Chama. It was in the back of this truck I realized that I haven’t been warm since the beginning of September. Brrrr!

The joys of meeting other long-distance hikers. We met “Kickapoo” in Winter Park, Colorado. She sent us a package of food to Chama, some dehydrated goodies with jokes (What do you call a pile of cats? A meowtain!)

Omg! Omg! New Mexico! Yay! Happy dance! Happy dance!

Selfie!

Brazos Ridge. Our first summit (86th total) in New Mexico.

Canada Creek (but pronounced in a spanish way…)!

We ran into hunters, who gave us left over turkey from US thanksgiving! I love hunters!

Oh solid ground – Thank goodness! Jake is so happy he is kissing the ATV tracks.

Entering New Mexican Enchantment. Stunning!

There are positive aspects about being the very very dead (very dead) last people on the trail – we get the left overs. Food from mail ahead packages of people who never showed up or quit the trail. Free grub! Yay!

I like New Mexico! So much colour!

The Rio Chama. This was the first decent river we had seen since Northern Wyoming. Oh boy!

The CDT in New Mexico. Good thing we have snowshoes,  those sage bushes look daunting!