Today I woke up inspired and ready to begin the planning process for my Appalachian Trail 2014 thru-hike. I am currently a senior in my university’s Creative Writing program and will begin my Northbound adventure next March.

I think it started with National Geographic documentaries and PBS specials back in 2010. Right away, I was inspired to explore the East portion of my country and become acquainted with terrain I had always overlooked. My boyfriend Lucas and I have set this goal together–the trail has been of interest to him for the past five years.  Summer/fall 2012 he backpacked through Israel, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, etc. for approximately four months. When he returned to his hometown after numerous nights of sleeping in a hammock, and our communication picked up, I told him about my vague plans of the hike. Long story short, AT partners turned into a relationship and here we are, at the beginning stages of preparation!

Rock climbing 3-4 years in a family-sized Florida community brought upon a growing passion in both of us;  to reconnect with nature and enjoy the mountains, the woods, boulders, trails, and lakes for what they are and in their natural form. I am energized by every exposure to the outdoors. As a Boy Scout (I used to be a part of the coed program called Venture Crew) I am also concerned with the preservation of the land and live by the principle Leave No Trace Behind. My goal is to become integrated into a natural environment opposed to inhabiting the land. I also want to help others experience this sense of connectedness as well.

I cannot promise you any deep insight into the meaning of life, or what we can do to change the world, but I can share with you my passion for nature and document our journey along the way.