Grateful

I’m overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude to start 2021. I’d decided some time ago I was interested in chronicling the coming year via blog, and it followed naturally that the first post herein aims to describe this state of gratitude.

I am grateful for my family, immediate and extended. The folks that instilled in me a passion for the outdoors, have always encouraged me to follow my dreams, and were universally excited to hear the news that I’d decided to attempt a “thru-hike” of the ~2,190 mile Appalachian Trail.

I’m grateful for the friends that I’ve already shared my plan with. It’s a vulnerability to introduce the idea that you want to attempt something challenging, bold, and a bit crazy (in the eyes of most). What if I can’t finish? What if I don’t have what it takes? Every time I expanded the circle of friends that knew about my planned AT attempt for 2021, I was nervous about going out on a limb, knowing that if I’m not successful, I’d feel like a fraud. In each of those cases, the excitement and interest shown by such an awesome group of friends has eased these worries.

I am grateful for my team at work, from top to bottom. I was shocked in the best sort of way at the level of support and excitement I’ve received from team members about this endeavor. I’ve only had two employers in my professional career to date (excluding part-time jobs and internships), but it seems to me it is exceptionally rare that an employer would support a six-month sabbatical to pursue a long-distance hike.

I am immensely grateful for my wife, Glori. This has been something I’ve wanted to attempt since I was young, and it was Glori that really pushed me to make this concrete this year. Glori will be living with my in-laws while I hike, helping out with the logistics, taking care of Pete (our dog), and just generally being an awesome wife and person. I can say with confidence that without Glori’s support, none of this would be happening.

Lastly – if I haven’t mentioned you already in the groups above, I’m grateful for you. This is my first attempt at a blog, and I make no guarantees that once my hike begins, I won’t become too enchanted by nature to continue posting here. However, I think it’s really cool to think about getting to share some of the excitement of this experience with friends, family, and any other folks that may stumble across this site. So thank you very much for your time, and I hope the content on this site will inspire or encourage you to follow through on something you’ve dreamt about.