I’m very excited to start the PCT, but I fully expect to be bored at times on my hike. I plan to combat boredom and lack of motivation the same way I do in real life: music, podcasts, and books. Here’s a quick look at what I plan on listening to and reading on the trail.

Music

First and foremost, I’m a habitual album listener. I love listening to albums in completion and experiencing them as a whole concept rather than a collection of singles. Here are a few of my favorites I’ve downloaded for the trail:

• Appreciation - DeKobe
• Bloom and Depression Cherry - Beach House
• Bright Like Neon Love - Cut Copy
• Nostalgia UltraChannel Orange, Endless, and Blonde - Frank Ocean
• Donuts - J Dilla
• Flower Boy - Tyler, The Creator
• Person Pitch - Panda Bear
• Pet Grief and Clinging To A Scheme - The Radio Dept
• Sleep Cycle - Deakin

And here are some new (to me) albums I’m also bringing along:

• An Insatiable High - Masayoshi Takanaka
• Buoys - Panda Bear
• Pacific - Haruomi Hosono

When I’m not listening to albums, I really enjoy Boiler Room DJ sets. Here are a few of the best:

• Bonobo Boiler Room New York DJ Set
• Nightmares On Wax Boiler Room London DJ Set
• Yaeji Boiler Room New York DJ Set

Podcasts

I’ve been saving up a month’s worth of episodes from my favorite podcasts:

• 99% Invisible by Roman Mars
• Dissect by Cole Cuchna
• Nancy by WNYC Studios
• Radiolab by WYNC Studios

Books

I’m bringing only one ebook/audiobook, gifted to me recently by a good friend:

• IQ84 by Haruki Murakami

It’s a doozy, so I’m betting on it lasting me for most of the trail.

All of the above should keep me occupied when I’m bored. Hopefully I’ll be crossing the finish line soon enough.

Photo: Glico Man at night in Dotonbori, Osaka, Japan. September 2016.