Chen Yuxun, who is from Taiwan and now lives in New York, has been doing long-distance hiking for nearly ten years.In 2017 and 2018, Chen Yuxun successively hiked the two longest and most prestigious east and west coasts in the United States. formally completed.trailAppalachian Trail and Pacific Crest Trail. In the process, I not only strengthened calf muscles but also gained a calm and intelligent person.
The Appalachian Trail is 3,500 kilometers long, stretching north from Georgia to Maine. After completing the Camino de St. James pilgrimage route in Spain, Chen Yuxun admitted that he was “addicted” to long-distance walking at the time. With the support of her husband, she decided to start the Appalachian Trail in 2017. Don’t expect to face many challenges once they hit the road. Especially in terms of physical fitness; The extremely difficult and steep mountain road and unpredictable weather make every step thrilling. Chen Yuxun recalled that while climbing Mount Lafayette in New Hampshire, she was suddenly knocked to the ground by a strong wind and rolled two or three times. When he reacted, his backpack was stuck in the crevices of the rocks. “I’m like a tortoise on all four legs.” Luckily, I was able to stand up without any serious problems. I had just sprained my right knee, but when I woke up the next day, I still felt like I felt like my entire body was burnt. head to toe.”
Not only is the terrain challenging, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park section of the Appalachian Trail is also very rainy. It rained for a whole week on one section of the trail, and the clothes in the camping tents did not have time to dry, and they had to start again the next day. After wearing it and continuing to walk, Chen Yuxun confessed that she felt “unfinished” and sweaty while walking, as if “it was raining heavily outside and lightly raining inside.”
Physical discomfort can be a mental training. Chen Yuxun experienced blisters, sprains, falls and other discomforts during long-distance hiking, but said it was “painful and pleasant”. “I’m not the kind of person who gives up easily. This path is my own choice, so nothing to complain about.”
After spending 173 days to complete the Appalachian Trail, Chen Yuxun spent 147 days to complete the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018, with a total length of about 4,300 kilometers.CaliforniaThe Mexican border extends to the Canadian border in Washington. Although the route is more than 700 kilometers longer than the Appalachian Trail, Chen Yuxun completed it in less time because the terrain is relatively easy to walk. Northern California experiences greater seasonal variations, ranging from day and night temperature differences. From the desert, to the snow-capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada, to the wildfires in Washington State, beauty and challenges co-exist.
Along with the stunning scenery of the Pacific Crest Trail, there is also the loneliness of hiking alone. On her birthday that year, Chen Yuxun moved to Northern California. After completing the supplies in the city, he was about to return to the road and move forward, but Chen Yuxun found that he suddenly lost motivation and became extremely anxious. After sitting at McDonald’s all day, Chen Yuxun suddenly had a moment of enlightenment: her anxiety actually came from loneliness: alone on the road ahead, with no one to share the dangers or beautiful scenery, and no one to sympathize with her. Couldn’t keep the experience. , The longer this continues, the heavier the burden will become. But the interesting thing is that for Chen Yuxun, accepting and accepting loneliness makes her no longer afraid of loneliness. After that moment, he completed his self-healing and regained his motivation.
“I do everything by myself. I don’t think there is anything wrong in it. Loneliness is a foreign thing to me. But this time I know that I will also be alone. I accept myself and the loneliness goes away Yes. It won’t happen that you create any more trouble for me.”
United States (TagstoTranslate) Trails (T) California (T) New Mexico
