A Blog is Awkwardly Born

McKenna: Do you think it would be better to do an introductory post for each of us, or work in our history as we go?

Heidi: A little of both. I think there needs to be some initial context, but then we can expand in later posts as appropriate. We could have a post on how we met. Bwahaha…

McKenna: That would be hilarious! Lol!

Heidi: Well, I’ve read a lot of boring blogs, so I’d like to keep it fun.

McKenna: I think we should do that. How about the first post is a duo, and we have dialogue? About how we met. As simple as just writing here in Messenger (since you live in Montana, and I live in Arizona) and then I copy and paste with names showing who is speaking?

Heidi: (Much later) Still thinking what to say about this…

McKenna: Haha! You can say no…Or, oh, are you starting the dialogue?

Heidi: …how to start. Haha!

McKenna: Can I put my interruptions in there?

Heidi: Yeah, that would be good, BUT I HAVEN’T STARTED YET. I’ll put quotations marks when I start.

"The first time I saw McKenna I didn’t know she would be the Best Hiking Buddy Ever. For one thing, she wasn’t very big."

"For another, I don’t think she was breathing, and breathing is important for any hiker."

McKenna: <huffing emoji> Well, in my defense, you hadn’t taught me anything yet.

Heidi: I’m going to have to think where I want to go from here… Plus, I’m watching a movie with Dad.

McKenna: Let’s just jump to adulthood. Nothing happened in between.

Heidi: <cry-laughing emoji>

"When we met, I had more backpacking and hiking experience than she did."

McKenna: Yep, but I’d already had a near-death experience, which probably is what set the tone for my desire to seek adventure and adrenaline. My three older brothers and my dad also helped with that. Then I’d seen pictures of my mother, her brother, and my grandparents hiking around in the…what…1930s?...and I knew it was in my blood.

Heidi: "But over the years that I’ve known her, she's grown up, hiked hundreds (thousands?) of miles, and is as tough as nails."

McKenna: Definitely in the thousands. I got my first thousand miles in my Columbia boots that I loved. I’ve never thought I was as steadfast as you, though. More hardheaded than tough. I cannot wait to get out there. Let's bail on this post. The trail is calling us!

Heidi: You know I’m going to be relying on you for your outdoor skills and toughness.

McKenna: I did take one desert survival class about 18 years ago…

Heidi: Plus, you make me laugh.

McKenna: And since we’re both moms, we’ll wet ourselves at least twice on this trip from laughing.

Heidi: It’s going to be a great time, no matter how far we make it.

McKenna: I feel particularly lucky to be spending this time with my mother, who I don’t have a lot of memories of as a small child. You were a very hard worker for our family and now getting to know you more and more in my adulthood, I count myself incredibly lucky to make up some lost time with someone I consider to be my best gal pal.

Oh, do you think we should mention what we are doing?

Heidi: Our blog is Two Mother Trekkers, so don’t you think it’s obvious? Oh, do you mean specifically what we are going to do? Am I not keeping track of this conversation?

McKenna: Dementia. I can see it already.

Really, I think the biggest question is what made us decide we should carry everything we need on our backs for two months and 800 miles? It has been in the works for over 5 years now, but what was it again that drove us to this madness?

Heidi: Let’s see, we started doing day hikes together in Arizona in what, 2006-ish? And we really liked that. And got better at it.

McKenna: Yeah, we had both had quite a bit of hiking experience by then, but had been away from it for too long. Careers, children, etc.

Heidi: And then we started hearing about the Arizona Trail, in maybe 2009? Cuz they were targeting completion by the centennial. And wouldn’t that be cool to hike that straight through together. And wondering how long it would take, but knowing it was only a dream cuz neither of us was at a point in our lives that we could do that.

And then I think I told you in maybe 2011 or 2012 that maybe we could do it. I think we originally targeted 2017, but things came up and we pushed it a year. And here we are.

McKenna: Even now it will be tricky to pull off. We aren’t without our worries at home while we’re gone. My babies (ages 8 and 9)...

...Dad with his horses...

...and that big bear you call a dog…

Heidi: Oh, and you talked me into publishing a blog before we even knew if we could make it. So many blogs start, and the hike never gets finished. Now everyone will know if we fail, SO WE CAN’T FAIL!

McKenna: Well, you’re in good hands. And so am I. So, let’s do this!

Arizona Trail Facts:

• In 2011, the final mile of the Arizona Trail was completed, finishing a dream that began 30 years earlier.
• Length: 800.3 miles of trail between Mexico and Utah
• Designated by Congress as a National Scenic Trail in 2009
• Crosses through many different land types: four National Forests, Bureau of Land Management, National Parks, and Arizona State Parks.
• The trail travels through 11 of the 13 natural biotic environments that occur in Arizona.
• Despite the many natural springs that litter the Arizona wilderness, water is still an issue and concern for thru-hikers.
• Gateway communities include some popular towns like Patagonia, Tucson, Superior, Payson, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon Village, Jacob Lake, and Page.
• The AZT likes to weed out the weak in the beginning. The trail starts with a 3,000ft elevation gain in 6 miles.
• Elevation ranges from the lowest of ~1,750ft to ~9,175ft, and crosses right through the Grand Canyon.
• Temperatures during our selected hike time of mid-March through mid-May can range from below freezing to 100+ degrees.

See the Arizona Trail Association for more information.