SOBO
Part Eleven: Fairness
*Kraka-boom* The sound of lightning shattered the silence - loud, powerful, close. My whole body flinched. My chest tightened. The rain intensified as I sped up my pace, trying to...
I Completed my PCT Thru Hike at a Sequoia Tree (An Ode)
This is a story of thru hikes, snow, and blizzards as much as it is an ode to a very special tree.
Part Ten: It’s Not a Goodbye, It’s a See You Soon
Saturday, August 10th - 8 miles before Hwy 26 Slowly, I awoke to the rushing and continuous sound of Cub Creek flowing just outside. The water gurgled over the stones...
Part Nine: So Long, Montana
I. Dillon, Montana We waved goodbye to Mark as he slowly drove off, the large silhouette of his 18-wheeler fading into the distance while its roaring engine merged with the...
Off-Grid, On Edge: Navigating the Hiring Freeze from the Te Araroa
I’ll try to make this post as objective as possible. Please excuse any bitterness or angst that may leak through. While on trail, I found myself in the unique position...
Part Eight: The Trail Humbles
This trail had humbled me. It pulled me down and back to earth, where I came from and where I would end. It pulled me down from this pedestal I...
Richmond Ranges Reflection
Hello Richmonds, Goodbye John The more time I’ve spent on trail, the more familiar certain names and faces become. I’m more accustomed to sharing my food, stories, and memories with...
Part Seven: The Art of Letting Go
“So Lennon, why do you hike?” I could see the reflection of the raging flames in his circular-shaped glasses. For a few seconds, he stayed quiet, collecting his thoughts, his...
How to time travel and a hidden brewery on the CDT
I smile, thinking about the first few weeks in Montana. All the forbidden foods that feel justified on a thru hike: cookies and gummy bears, ice cream, peanut butter cups,...
Part Six: Hot, hot, hot
I. Therapy Session in Helena Tom and I found ourselves sitting in the corner of a quirky coffee shop in Helena, enjoying a rare zero-day in the middle of our...