I’m living proof you can walk through fire and find joy on the other side. After my AT thru-hike in 2018, I was forced to reinvent myself and my life. Now I travel, write, hike, and backpack, splitting time between vanlife and home in Colorado. I thru-hiked the epic Colorado Trail in 2023 and have big plans for more adventures. Follow along here and on YouTube @JoyfulRambler.
Posts
Hey Mountains, I’m Coming for You! (Colorado Trail: Take 2)
It's time to get back on the trail! Last year was not my year for backpacking long trails. I started the PCT in March, only to bail after a week
Plans Change: Life in a Boulder Field
I was finally navigating the rocks of Pennsylvania with courage and confidence. After hiking in Maine and New Hampshire, I knew much better where to
Ready for Rugged: Thru-Hiking the Long Trail
“What a wonderful, once in a lifetime adventure!” That’s what I thought when I began planning my 2018 Appalachian Trail thru-hike. I had no clue
Beautifully Ruined: A Life Transformed by Time on the Trail
How do you go through a life-changing experience, then slip right back into the life you had before? That’s a confounding question for me. It’s
What’s Different about Hiking after 50?
Even though the people you meet on the trail represent a wide range of ages, thru-hiking after 50 puts you in the minority. In fact, the annual
Are Resupply Boxes Worth the Effort?
It’s hard to envision your resupply options before setting out on a long-distance hike. You’ll be backpacking in the wilderness, right? Shopping at
11 Secrets to Successful Resupply on the AT
Before I started my thru-hike last April, the issue of resupplying along the trail made me a little anxious. Where would I shop? Would it be
Hiker Hopscotch: Making a New Plan
I don’t know if a thru-hike ever turns out to be what the hiker imagines it will be. Sometimes (most times?) it’s a more amazing adventure than the
16 Bears Fill Up a Week in the Shennies
Other than the fact that many hikers aqua blaze through Shenandoah National Park, I didn’t know much about the Shennies before I entered the park
Back on the Trail: A Rocky Return
The sun is peeking over the horizon, shedding a warm morning glow over the idyllic grounds of the Woods Hole Hostel. The quiet of the morning is a