After retirement, Jim Rea became determined to take on and complete a major challenge. He set out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, his first try at a long hike. He hiked several weeks each summer for seven years, mostly solo. He was rescued only once. He needed to resupply each week, so Zhita, his wife, decided to be his support team. Driving to locate remote meeting places brought her adventures of her own.