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himself in a very different way. On April 6 he In his backpack one luxury he’ll carry is a
will start at the California-Mexico border and copy of Toastmaster magazine for selfies along
hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) to Canada – a the way. He plans to post videos he shoots along
trek he expects to take six months at about 15 the trail on his YouTube channel.
to 20 miles per day. He hatched the idea last One thing that sustains Hall in Toastmasters
year while hiking a stretch of the trail near is the change he sees in new members as
Ashland. On a whim he applied for one of the they participate. “People come in to do their
rare PCT permits —not expecting to be among Icebreaker and they’re a bag of nerves. Maybe
the lucky few to be picked—and won the lottery. they do their first Table Topics, and it’s 20
With permit in hand, he asked himself, should seconds long. Six months later they are ready for
I do this? Could I do this? He says with a laugh, leadership roles in the club. It’s a transformative
“There’s nothing to stop me except the voices of experience in people’s lives.”
reason. I don’t want to look back and say I had He is one project away from earning
an opportunity and didn’t do it.” his second DTM and is eyeing either a club
He's preparing to hike in conditions sponsorship or a Speechcraft as the final piece.
ranging from desert heat to mountain snow, “Everybody’s got a story to tell, and every life is
planning recipes and logistics, and practicing fascinating,” he notes. “People need to know how
mountaineering skills such as self-arrest with an to tell their story, and Toastmasters is a great
ice axe. Despite the physical challenge, Hall says vehicle for that.”
that the strength to complete the hike “is more
mental than physical. Only 25 percent finish, Erik Bergman, DTM, is VP of Education at WE
mostly due to mental mistakes.” Toasted Toastmasters in Lake Oswego.
VOICES! | FEBRUARY 2023 9
