3 years Later

So, it has been 3 years since the completion of my Appalachian Trail Thru Hike and I still burn with desire to get back out there and hike to far off lands. My next hope is the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). My husband is not a big backpacker, but I hope to get him out doing some sections with me at least. We will see what the future holds. I continue to work for a large outdoor retailer and thus am plunged into helping others "outfit for a life time of adventure."

I also continue to learn and grow from my experiences on the trail. My life continues to slow down and be relaxed due to what I have seen and done through my adventure on the trail. I have not had a car since I smashed up our only car in April and it has been an adventure commuting by public transportation, bike, or foot. Of course, my preferred method of transportation is on foot as there are so many things we miss while moving fast! We do find we eat out less and stay closer to home. This is the first winter my husband and I will be using public transportation to get to and from work. Luckily, we both have the gear to not be too miserable with our commute.

The trail and the outdoors continue to call to me. I often want to just pack up my backpack and walk away from everything. So much has happened in the last 3 years to change who I am and how I interact with people. It has been a challenging and yet rewarding transformation for me. At the same time, my transformation is not fully completed yet. I look forward to all the future holds in its teachings and gifts. Life is truly blessed and I will be back out on the trails again in the near future. Maybe the money from the car being totalled out will help take me on my next journey. Until then, I will continue to watch for opportunities to learn more ways of interacting with the beauty that surrounds me daily, from the people I meet to the things I get the pleasure of seeing.

Thank you all for everything you have read, done, and supported me through over the years. This coming year does hold another big challenge for me as I attempt to learn mountain biking and sign up for the Lead Woman series. It is a series of 5 events from a marathon to a couple mountain bike races, and finishing with a 100mile trail run (the one I attempted in 2007). I feel if I put my mind to it, I can do anything!