Reading Leaves of Grass aloud always leaves me smiling. I will experiment with doing so every day this week. Hopefully, it will lift me out of the funk I have been in for quite some time. I will report back next week.

As a high school English teacher, I started reading Whitman to my students. They LOVED when I read aloud to them, but for some reason, the excerpt I read from “Song of Myself” transformed ME. It inspired me to compile my poems into a book and take myself seriously as a poet. It inspired me to share a poem I wrote with my students.

Life has a way of rearranging you. The you you knew doesn’t look the same anymore. It is confusing. It is discouraging. Walt Whitman has been teaching me to CELEBRATE all the versions of myself since I started reading him 40 years ago.

Today, I read aloud from Section 41 of “Song of Myself.” His musing about world religions took me by surprise. And I loved it. He starts with Jehovah, then adds a plethora of other deities. He connects the gods to men, using them as templates for us, elevating our simple bodies to their level. The earth, to their level. We are the gods.

It was his line, “myself waiting to be one of the supremes,” that triggered this post. He IS one of them. He doesn’t know it. But like the gods, there are statues of him where people worship.

When I hiked the Appalachian Trail, I worshipped him at the Trailside Museum and Zoo in New York. On July 17, 2025, I stood gazing at him. Thanking him for the inspiration he whispered in my ear. The closing poem in my book was inspired by one of his poems. I even took a photo with him. That’s what you do on a pilgrimage.

If you are struggling today, I am writing to remind you to do what you can. For me, reading one poem aloud changed the trajectory of my day. It led me to publish here for the first time in many months.

To me, Walt Whitman is the voice in my ear, reminding me that I am worthy. I have a voice to be heard. So I write. I travel to learn more. And I write more. This season of travel was hard. And I am just now ready to write about it.

My blog is called April’s Everyday Adventures, and my adventures this year are FAR different from Bill’s adventures.

It is Sunday, and I love Sundays because I always make time to do the things I love. I am thoroughly enjoying curating our AT Journey in photos. But it is time-consuming, and right now, weeknights aren’t affording me the time to post daily, as Bill did. So the format will change to “A Week on the AT,” which I will post on Sundays. Thank you for being so patient as I meander my way down this beautiful path.

I will also give you a brief update on Bill on Sundays. He LOVES hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and he is taking pictures. It is entirely different than the AT. The largest difference is that there are no Shelters and, therefore, finding water has proven to be a giant task. Thankfully, they are finding water every time they need it. So all is well. Do regular rain dances, please. Or those of the praying ilk, pray for rain.

Long-distance relationships are challenging, and we have done this before. So we are carving out our precious time together, no matter how sparse the cellular service is. We ARE newlyweds after all. Yesterday’s share time included the craziest hiking photo I have ever seen. I won’t post it, but Bill was riding a surfboard (and NO, he wasn’t in the water!). As always, Bill IS the party! I miss that joy on the boat, but he sends it to me with every text and phone call. My mantra is still “just keep moving your feet ‘til you get there,” there is now the next time I hear Bill’s voice or see his face!

Day 77: April 22nd

This photo was taken after we had three luxurious zero days with our best friends, and you can see how refreshing that rest was. During our hike, I was celebrating each day with Bill and many friends who supported us along the way, like Dan and Holly. The hiking was painful at times, but I had a team pulling for me.

This year, I am part of Bill’s support team. It is such a strange difference. And I miss the hike: even the painful days. We met an interesting fellow hiking the AT. He spent a few days hiking near us and then one day packed, telling us he had to go “collect acorns.” Bill, being ever inquisitive, asked what he meant. He told us he had to go back to work to save up for more hiking. I am currently collecting acorns too. I can’t wait to get back to full-time adventuring, but the Books of Wisdom are correct: There is a season for everything.

This is a photo of Whitetop Laurel, which is not perfect, but I couldn’t leave it out. Bill had told me many stories of his family’s adventures on that mountain. Bill took it as we hiked away from our three-day respite. Getting to have an adventure with him, that close to Whitetop Laurel, made me feel like a part of this loving, beautiful family. His mom and dad took part of their honeymoon in this area, and I could feel their love as I hiked. It is bringing tears to my eyes even now. “Love is a Many-Splendoured Thing,” it’s not just a gorgeous song sung by Andy Williams. It’s the TRUTH.

I think this was the first time I saw my favorite wild flowers on the trail. But we continued to see them for many miles. They are TINY, but vibrantly red. I wanted to carry them in my bridal bouquet, but no one could get their hands on them. Later, I found them growing out of a rock. It was the most amazing thing. I am grateful Bill carried his magic camera for the whole trail. These pictures are remarkably detailed. I can FEEL the trail again when I look at them.

We left Damascus and hiked back to Bill’s home in Taylors Valley on Day 77. I had been there twice already, but camping on the bank where, as a boy, he had listened to AT thru-hikers tell their tales inspired me to hike all the way to Katahdin. I knew that night that I would go all the way. It was going to be a tough journey, but I knew I would make it. We set up our tent close to dark, and Laurel Creek’s babbling lulled me into a sweet sleep.

Day 78: April 23

The next morning, we surveyed the damage to Taylors Valley. The valley was torn up, and the resilience of Bill’s family was visible. We walked up to the houses that were built to replace those that had washed away. The community was physically different, but the love was still palpable even with the changes in the landmarks.

We hiked out and continued our trek through Virginia. I had a new zest, having just spent time with friends and our family. This is us after hiking out of the valley. You can see it below us in the distance.

The Virginia Creeper Trail, which we had visited on previous visits, crosses the AT. It is an easier section of the trail, and people not only bike on it but also take day hikes. We saw a cute family hiking together that day. It was a hot one.

Bill had been telling me that we would see Trilium in bloom, but I could not have imagined how different and beautiful they would be. They came in many colors, but this color was by far the most prevalent.

Day 79: April 24th

Hiking in the spring is just one beautiful wildflower after another.

Look at the fringes on these beauties.

I just decided to do a full blog post of flowers. I will post that one tomorrow.

Bill’s mom and dad took a honeymoon photo on Lover’s Leap. We tried to get there to recreate the photo, but the weather didn’t cooperate. We got close here, and you can see the Lover’s Leap in our eyes.

Day 80: April 25th

Milestone achieved: 500 miles!

We were heading toward Rocksylvania. You can see the terrain shift.

This is in the Greyson Highlands: land of the horses. We only saw two of them. I think the smart ones were all tucked away out of the rain. This was a wet and muddy day.

I still eat these chicken packets. So convenient. I don’t have to balance my lunch on my knees these days, though.

Day 81: April 26th

It rained for three days pretty much straight. We survived by hiding in shelters during the downpours, drinking coffee and eating candy until the rain got lighter, and we could hike our miles safely. The candies in the photos are freeze-dried Skittles, and we have a whole story to tell regarding them. Again, for another post. But they sustained our life through many rainstorms.

Day 82: April 27th

April showers bring May flowers. And they were in full bloom. And the bees were HAPPY!

Day 83: April 28th

We made it into town to pursue Bill’s medicine. We finally found a logical doctor who prescribed him more than one month, so we could continue our hike without a three-day stop each month. Marion was lovely. And we will be forever grateful to the doctor whose dad was hiking the AT too.

Have a nice day!

Our last zero day was spent exploring the old trains near Damascus. Bill has many memories of this train when his grandfather was working on it. I had heard many stories before I came face to face with this old giant. After touring, we headed back to the Airbnb to finish our visit.

My main objective was to treat my clothing so it would resist ticks. It was a long and tedious job, but it paid off. I didn’t have any ticks attach themselves to me on the rest of the trail. Ticks are a part of hiking I would like to forget.

April 20th Day 75

Time with friends is precious. We had so much fun relaxing with Dan and Holly. We did go on one great adventure to Backbone Rock. I was wearing sandals, which is mind-boggling right now. But my feet were terribly sore, so I am sure that was why.

I have heard about Great-Granny’s cabin for many years. The adventures of Bill and Bonnie at this house are renowned. Seeing it in person brought all the tales to life.

Taylors Valley, Virginia, is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. If this picture were panoramic, it still couldn’t capture all the glories. When we settle on land, this will be our home.

We had talked about Bill’s family and hiking home for 73 days before Bill got home to Virginia. Damascus is a short hike from Bill’s family in Taylors Valley, Virginia. Going home is always full of goodness, and this trip was even more of a homecoming than we expected it to be. The moment we arrived, a minivan pulled over to the side of the road, and Bill’s aunt came over to hug us.

She didn’t even flinch at our hiker stench. She told us that Bill’s cousin was working in the store a few blocks away, so we hiked right over and visited with her. All the while, our friends, Holly and Dan, were texting us with directions to the Airbnb where we were all staying for the next few days. Bill and I were hungry. The Dairy King, where Bill has been getting ice cream since he was a boy, was open. So we had ice cream for lunch (or maybe it was breakfast): higher hiker ways.

Art preserves history. Bill found this treasure in the Dairy King. It is amazing how small towns like this preserve themselves. I can’t wait to eat ice cream there again on my way home from Katahdin. I wonder what year it will be?

I’ll do anything for ice cream, even hike 2,197 miles again.

Have a nice day!

April 18th was day 73 on the trail. It took us to the TN/VA state line. Milestones of any kind were inspirational. Sometimes they gave me happy tears. When you are walking for months on end, reaching goals keeps the feet moving. We were excited to finally be close to Damascus, Virginia and Bill’s roots.

At the end of the day, I would crash. Sometimes, I lay on the floor of the tent and fell fast asleep. But Bill kept going, taking care of what needed to be done to keep us safe and moving out on time the next day. The Bear Hang was always his job. Most days, he hung our bags with just one throw. Bill is a beast and bears are always disappointed when they see him coming!

Have a nice day!

Many of my favorite photos of Bill are of him taking photos. But this one is the most stunning. We have seen many sunrises and sunsets together. I will never forget this one. You can’t hear it. But we were on a mountain above a race track and could hear the cars racing for hours. It was comical. Not what you would expect to hear on the Appalachian Trail.

This is my photo. It captures Bill perfectly.

Bill captures the artistic images perfectly. Look at the flowers in the same place I photographed him. And I didn’t even notice the building with the AT logo on it. But Bill created this AT memorial photo for us.

I remember having conversations with Bill about the purple mountains many a night. As a child, I sang “America the Beautiful” with my whole heart in music class. Music was my best grade on every single report card. I sang, “For purple mountain majesties,” without knowing the meaning. Bill’s photo celebrates those purple mountains in all their glory. We should put these images in all children’s songbooks (especially for Floridians), so they know what they are singing about!

My whole body relaxes looking at these photos. I smile and know that the purple mountain majesties will be mine again soon.

Have a nice day!

When it finally stopped raining, we got out of the tent and hiked on. It was a gorgeous hike, still along the river that we passed at Laurel Falls. I wish you could hear the water rushing along. It wasn’t like the roar of the falls, but still far more powerful than most of the creeks and streams we passed on the AT.

Boots Off Hostel was on the trail and provided a much-needed shower. This unique hostel had everything a hiker could ask for, including tiny, private cabins (My favorite kind of hostel!). It was a perfect quick rest for us.

April 16th (Day 72)

Many days on the trail were take-your-breath-away beautiful for a few minutes. But there are not many days on the trail that have those moments on loop. The hike out of Boots Off Hostel took us to and then past a giant blue-green lake. We could see it all the way up the mountain, and it grew more beautiful the farther we climbed. I was sad when the trail finally took us away from it at the end of the day. All along the lake, the flowers were in full bloom. I hope these photos give you as much joy as they give me.

Have a nice day!

I was astounded by how quickly winter turned into spring. We went from snow covering the ground to beautiful, tiny flowers covering it in just a few days. If you know me, then you know I love gardening. The Appalachian Trail was a beautiful garden for miles and miles at a time.

Climbing the mountains offered a stark contrast to those gorgeous garden sections. If you know my story, then you know rocks are my nemesis: rocks and my clumsiness. I can still feel the apprehension as I look at the photo above. On the climb down to the Laurel Falls on April 14th, the rocks gave me a pounding. But it was worth the fight. This picture still takes my breath away. I can almost hear the ROAR of the falls from Florida now. I sat there and cried happy tears for a bit.

Not every moment on the trails was lovey-dovey. But sweet kisses made the sour moments of pain bearable. Mr. Blevins took good care of me. I could not have finished the Appalachian Trail without him. These are the memories I will cherish forever. If you are dreaming of an adventure, go find it! I celebrate these moments, reliving them when life gets mundane, or I’m missing Bill.

April 15th (Day 71)

Far above Laurel Falls is an old shelter that burned down. The campsite beside it had 5G wifi, so we decided to stay in the tent all morning and relax after our hard climb the day before. I had never been so grateful for rest in my whole life. Blogging for The Trek was a highlight of the hike for me, but finding wifi to publish made publishing a slog. This morning, I got an article published on top of the mountain while I was in my sleeping bag.

When we finally forced ourselves out of the tent. We hike to Boots Off Hostel. It’s a famous Five-Star AT Legend. It did not disappoint. You’ll get a glimpse into hostel life on the AT tomorrow! Have a nice day!

Taking over a project from Bill is a bit uncomfortable for me, because he is such a giant when it comes to photography. But I am deeply invested in this Photo Journal, and it has given me GREAT JOY each time I saw his post. So here we are.

I hope you continue to enjoy our life-changing Appalachian Trail thru-hike. From now on, I will stick to Bill’s style of posting just a few photos without writing. But I wanted to let you know what happened.

I am going to do a catch-up post. Bill’s last post was April 9th (Day 55).

April 10th (Day 66)

We took zero still photos on April 10th. This is a screenshot of a video.

I was pretty sure I was going to perish when we hiked through this snow. The day started with light rain, which quickly turned into heavy snow. I got wet, and then the temperature dropped to the point where I was shivering as I hiked. Bill found a dry, flat spot and pitched the tent two feet off the trail to save me. He had me get into the tent, take off all my wet clothes, and get into my sleeping bag. He then made me coffee, and I drank it lying down. I lived to tell the tale. That was our last snow day, if memory serves.

April 11th (Day 67)

I miss the trail. Even hiking through the mud for days at a time.

April 12th (Day 68)

Foggy glasses were my life.

April 13th (Day 69)

I also miss waterfalls.

April 14th (Day 70)

Ok, I take it back. I am going to write too. I think it’s good that you get a little bit of Mr. Blevins at the beginning of the Photo Journal, and now you get a bit of Mrs. Blevins. Hiking with your partner is impossible to describe.

Bill and I had lived together for a year on Avemar, a 43-foot sailboat, before we embarked on our AT thru-hike. We were used to small spaces. But although the trail is VAST, it is also tiny. Our tent was a micro-home compared to our sailboat. Sometimes, our constant proximity was a challenge. But look at this face! Who wouldn’t want to be three steps ahead of him or 10 steps behind him ALL THE TIME!? In truth, I am missing him right now. This is a cathartic exercise, and I am grateful that he encouraged me to continue the Photo Journal for him.

All in all, we both cannot WAIT to hike the AT southbound again. We don’t know how or when, but we know it will happen.

Thank you for joining our journey. I will post again tomorrow.

Saplings stretching, burbling creek
Soft needles, three feet
Warm water, cool sun seek
Whipping wind wants a brawl
Up a crystalline sky crawl
Two trees forever
Together - they are never small
Love - floating as feathers

Standing tall on a windy peak
Weathered limbs bow low as birds tweet
Roots firm, as outstretched branches creak
Trunks heeling like strong masts on yawls
It’s a wonder they do not fall
Dancing partners in all weather
A pair, side by side through it all
Love — floating as feathers

Love is transformed enamored: an antique
Branches to boats a nautical feat
Clinker and carvel planks forming peaks
Cockpit coquettish sailor his first mate first meets
Eyes feast, sweet lips entwining, Avemar feels their heart beats
Strip trunk, admire it, sand it sleek; linking together
A pair side by side through it all
Love — floating as feathers

One an oak — One a pine
Growing and reaching toward the sky
A pair, side by side through it all
Love — floating as feathers

Silence of wordless pages turning

The wind whistles no more

Stillness circles and surrounds me like a comforting cloud on the morning mountain

Warm silence after the party filled with words and wars

Warm silence after being sliced with spoken singes, burning the hairs of my soul

The cathedral of my silent, holy night

Today, I was having a hard time. I have been home from the trail for 52 days. While that may not sound like a lot of days to you, I have not worked for 274 days. And I am losing my mind a little bit. I started working when I was a teenager. I worked for my parents. I stuck plant cuttings in the green house, and I babysat. This was consistent work. I worked for them for the next 20 years of my life. And then I became a teacher. I don’t remember resting. Ever. I remember rest being frowned upon, as if people who rested were lazy.

I have been actively applying for and interviewing for jobs since September 1st. I figured if I started applying before I was off the trail, then I would have a job by the time I got home. I was incorrect.

The up side is that I have had lots of time to read, reread and write since I got home. I also have had lots of time to spend with friends and family. All good things that feed the soul. But today, I am just tired of job hunting. I am tired of interviewing. I am tired of needing things and not being able to get them. I am just tired.

So today, I was crying. People cry. Don’t judge.

Resting is NOT lazy. It keeps your body and mind healthy.

I also restarted my tutoring business. It has been a positive experience. But exhausting. I love teaching. It is my favorite thing. I do not love business yet. But it is growing on me.

Now back to Steve Fugate.

I decided to open my computer to check my email for the millionth time. Maybe one of the jobs I applied for this week would have responded. But Steve Fugate was looking at me. I made him my screen saver on purpose.

.

About a week ago, we saw him on the side of a country road in North Florida. We recognized him with his HUGE “Love Life” sign. We turned the car around, pulled up in front of him, got out and introduced ourselves, thanking him for his life-altering book. Steve has been hiking since 1999. While he was thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail that year, his son took his life. Steve was devastated, he ended up in the hospital himself. But with the help of friends and his family, he regained strength. He decided he wanted to do something to stop other people from taking their own lives. So he got a huge sign that said “Love Life” and started hiking with it.

His action garnered attention. Many people stopped and talked to him about how he saved their life with his sign. Newpapers started interviewing him as he entered towns. His fame grew. He saved more lives. After his first Love Life walk, he decided to write his story in a book. His book also titled, Love Life Walk, sold many copies.

He continued his Love Life walks to save lives, and he as save many more along the way. When we met him, he was on the same mission. He told us he was glad we had stopped at just the right time because his shell had gone missing. For the non-hikers in the room, a shell is a one layer rain coat. All hikers have one as essential equipment used as both a wind breaker and rain protection. You can’t live without one for very long. He asked us if we would look about three miles for him.

So we drove back and checked.

No dice.

When we drove back to him, I remembered I had my shell in the car. So I had him try it on. He was grateful when it fit, and I gave it to him. I was feeling overwhelmed that day too, and I told him thank you for helping me keep everything in perspective. He didn’t belittle my feelings or tell me it would all be ok. He just reminded me to Love Life. I told him I was writing my autobiography of the AT, and he was excited. He encouraged me to finish it, and even gave me some tips.

If you haven’t read his book, Love Life Walk, then I recommend you purchase it today. It will be a worthwhile use of your time and may change your perspective. That’s what thinking about him did for me today. I was reminder to Love Life. Even the hard parts.

I am growing and learning every day. Life is not work. I can love life, even without a job. I just don’t know how to do so yet ALL the time. Sometimes I succeed though. Like right now writing. So I am going to keep writing today. Do what works.

Here is today’s challenge:

1. Read Love Life Walk by Steve Fugate

2. Love your life. If you struggle to love it. Remember all the things his book taught you. For example, JUST LOVE LIFE!

3. Smile and thank those around you for being a part of the Life you Love.

4. Hug yourself because it’s hard some days and you deserve to Love yourself.

5. Do what works!

I needed alone time. I didn’t even know how much I needed it. Or I did. Subconsciously. Hiking 2,000+ miles in the mountains was WAY out of my wheelhouse. WAY OUT. My body is a little bitch. She tortures me. I have battled her for years. I always win. And thank goodness for that because battling my body [and winning!] got me through the trail.

I was a long time Self-Loather. I spent YEARS in therapy working through it. I had tried to love myself, but I just couldn’t do it. On the trail, in silence, with just me, the dirt and the trees, I got to the root of my Self-Loathing. And I cut it OUT. I can still feel the hole. I am crying now thinking of it. BUT the hole is filled now. Filled with Self-Love.

When I got to the root and removed it. I had to forgive so much and so many people. I hold on to pain and thus hold grudges. But I had to heal. I have reached out to almost everyone I need to forgive. I have restored what needed restoration. But the bottom line was loving ME. It seems crazy to me now because I love me as much as I love my children at this point. That’s the way it is supposed to be. If you were raised with religion, even that guides you to Self-Love: “Love your neighbor as you love YOURSELF.”

But I missed that lesson. Instead the one that stuck with me was: Jesus, Others, then Yourself LAST. I was so good at that lesson. When you are full of Self-Loathing, putting yourself last feels normal. Breaking out of that mindset is incredibly hard. It took hiking alone in the woods in freezing temperatures for days at a time and hundreds of miles for me to learn to “Love my neighbor as I loved myself.”

I spent my life up to this point disconnected from people on the whole. I struggled to maintain friendships, and I was deeply sad because of it. All of this was BURIED deep in my soul. Very few people knew. Mostly just therapists. And Bill.

On the outside, I was full of love and life for everyone around me. I am not ashamed of that. I know I helped a lot of people throughout my life. I just didn’t know how to help myself. I didn’t give to myself until I was 50 years old. The first gift of time I gave myself was sailing lessons. That gift triggered all the events that led to learning to love myself. Tears again.

I wrote this post as context for my next post. I am going to publish a series of my poetry. I think. Some is dark. You will see parts of my soul. I am scared to release it. But it is time.

If you love yourself, celebrate today. Celebrate in the best way for YOU, and, please, tell people about it. I missed this lesson. No one around me celebrated themselves. At least not that I knew of.

If you are like me and struggle with Self-Loathing, then, please, use this post as inspiration for moving toward Self-Love. It is not an easy journey. I have tears again thinking of those of you who are where I was in 1989 or 1996 or 2000 or 2020 or 2023. But please know you CAN LOVE YOURSELF. It is painful when you are growing through it. You might have to do something out of your comfort zone. But change is coming.

Here is the challenge from my last post:

1. Try putting “being” time on your calendar. I will let you know how mine goes.

   It went well. I was hesitant, but I immediately saw positive responses in every aspect of my life. Health, work and relationship improvements!

2. Connect or reconnect with friends. They are the Oreo filling of life. If you aren’t an Oreo person, they are the sweet stuff!

   Deepening friendships is the blessing in my life that I never understood when I was a closed book full of Self-Loathing on every page.

3. Step out of your comfort zone. For me, that is friendship and intentionally resting. What is it for you?

   So this post is the step out of your comfort zone moment for me. I have wanted to publish my little book of poetry for years.

Here is the challenge for the week:

1. Celebrate Loving Yourself Today: saying that still feels strange. I hope this changes for me soon.

2. Tell people about your celebration.

3. If you struggle with Self-Loathing, then reach out for help. My therapists kept me on my feet, but my time in the woods healed me.

Social anxiety made me a turtle when it came to developing friendships. Books were my best friends throughout my life. People, not so much. I moved slowly towards anyone who seemed promising as a friend, and then the moment I was uncomfortable or scared of rejection I snapped closed like the turtle.

This is not helpful.

After my last post, Nica asked, “I wonder how the experience of doing this in “public” (on the trail, with others there, not hiding somewhere alone with the pain) helped you break the shell?”

This caused me some pondering.

Bill had a YouTube channel (SailingAvemar) when we started dating. I forbade him from including me in any videos because I was desperately afraid of what people would say about it (about me!). He didn’t make a big deal about it, but gradually got me more used to sharing photos and videos on the socials.

One cold day, I was bundled up on the bow of Avemar as she was sailing, and Bill started asking me questions about our preparations for hiking. We had a brief conversation before I saw he was recording a video, but I was feeling brave so I continued. He let me watch the video after he finished and asked if I would be comfortable posting.

After a L O N G pause, I agreed. I was nervous.

I am so glad I was brave, because upon viewing it today I am glad we released it. What a great memory!

That was the start of me breaking out of my shell, and I do think it helped me overcome social anxiety. I learned that words were just words. And although the unkind words in the comments on YouTube didn’t feel good, I began to reject them as what they were: FALSE.

I also found that some comments were uplifting and caring. If people online could be encouraging to me, then I started warming up to the people I met on the trail. I found they were full of great stories and good advice when I took the time to keep my head out of my turtle shell.

I still remember the day Privy explained how using a roller ball every day would mitigate my soreness, and he was right. I still use massage to get rid of my foot pain now. Still dealing with that…

So, Nica, yes, hiking the AT in the “public” eye did allow me to finally connect with people more easily. Ultimately, allowing me to be open to having a Trail Family for the last nine days. The richness of what I learned during the end of the hike cannot be surpassed. My body is still recovering, but my heart is so full. Friendship is a blessing like no other. Both sailing and hiking have taught me this lesson.

The trail changed that pattern. My flare ups were longer and closer together for five months on the trail. I refused to give up. My doctors had told me that as long as I could handle the pain, then I could keep going. So I did.

The rewards of facing down the pain were expansive. Nature. Spiritual growth. New friendships. Smelling fresh pine. Learning with Bill. Listening to loons (my new favorite sound in the world!). None of those erased the pain. But each one dampened it.

I have never been one to shy away from a challenge, but when pain popped up I would stop. I am still processing what I did on the last half of the trail. Processing is important, and, for me, it requires some distance. So I will get back to you for the final assessment.

The trail brought amazing people into my life who impacted the way I saw myself. Social anxiety has crippled me for my entire adult life. Strangely, getting cozy with pain made me more open to friendship. I think it broke the shell I had created around myself. I am so thankful. I have tears. Happy ones. Thank you, Holly, Michelle, ‘Chelle, Steve, and Ursula. Thank you for your encouragement, kindness and the joy you brought to the hard days.

So now, I am resting. Regrouping. Moving back into my joyful sailing life with Bill. I am a new woman. I appreciate my strength much more now, but I see my need to embrace just being. I have been a doer since I was a young girl. But I am working on getting comfortable with just being.

My plan for the next hour is to post this and then rest. I’ve never done that before: Planned to rest. Learning and growing as always.

Here is this week’s challenge:

1. Try putting “being” time on your calendar. I will let you know how mine goes.

2. Connect or reconnect with friends. They are the Oreo filling of life. If you aren’t an Oreo person, they are the sweet stuff!

3. Step out of your comfort zone. For me, that is friendship and intentionally resting. What is it for you?

My body is almost unrecognizable. I struggle to keep it fueled. I run out of gas before the hiking is over. Thankfully, I am a problem solver with a problem solving partner. So solutions are being tried.

Thinking time is profuse on the trail. I thought back through what I ate to support my preparation for my one-and-only marathon that I could add to my food pack. Grape Nuts cereal came to mind. It has 100% of the iron you need in a day. I have been anemic off and on since 2014. I take a vitamin with iron but it hasn’t been doing the trick. But I don’t have milk on trail to eat cereal with. Solution? Coffee. I have cereal in my coffee now. And it’s working.

Building up my energy has been a slow process. I am still not hiking as fast as I used to. I am wearing a turtle necklace to remind myself that slow is still progress. Turtles are my inspiration right now.

Inspiration and perspiration are working hand in hand to keep me going . I can feel the days I am building my speed. I am thankful for the sweatiness. The fact that my mile count is down is no longer deflating.

We will summit Katahdin. It won’t be as early as I originally thought. But I am inspired by my perseverance. Many hikers would not have been able to solve all of these problems: arthritis, low iron, slowing pace and frustration. I have solved them.

Bill has patiently wiped my tears and helped me troubleshoot. We have planned, unplanned and replanned the end of our hike daily.

I will keep moving my feet. I will get there.

If you are struggling. If you are sweating over work, a relationship, or some other problem I haven’t encountered. You will make it.

Here is this week’s challenge:

1. Find something that inspires you. Mine was a turtle. I bought a $10 turtle necklace at a general store to keep that inspiration visible daily

2. Get comfortable sweating. (This doesn’t mean just physical sweat. I sweat emotionally too: tears) It’s not fun. But it means you are working hard. Hard work will lead you to your solution

3. Build a support system. Be honest when you are struggling. This was almost insurmountable for me. I don’t like to share my problems. But solutions come more quickly when your support system helps you

4. Plan and reevaluate and replan until you make progress. Progress not perfection

Every day is the same and different. I have been hiking for 141 days. I wake up to the birds singing each morning. There are more than 50 birds I have identified in my 141 mornings. Listening for new bird songs is a perfect alarm clock.

Next, I pack my backpack in the same pattern daily: sleeping pad, clothes bag, hygiene bag, medicine bag, electronics, food bag, rain clothes, bathroom kit, emergency bag, water, tent poles and pegs.

Then breakfast and coffee with Bill. Take my medicines, and there the sameness ends.

Each hiking day offers a new challenge: cliffs, bears, heat, rain or mosquitoes. Each hiking day offers a new beauty: waterfalls, flowers, beetles, bees, trees and people.

I have been waking up next to the best man in the world for 417 days. We have had coffee together each and every day. Glassy calm seas a coffee in our favorite white pottery mugs. High winds and waves with coffee in Yeti Cups with lids. And now we have coffee in collapsible cups on the Appalachian Trail. Our adventures are joyful and full of learning. Our adventures always start with coffee.

I have been mom for 10,275 days. Each moment my children give me their time fills my heart with joy. Whether it’s a text or a call. A plea for help or a celebration story. So much has changed in more than 10,000 days, but the love between us just keeps growing deeper. And we are planning new adventures together every year!

I have been alive for 19,839 days. I don’t know how many more I will get. Bill has taught me to love and to cherish photos. He has taken 6,081 pictures of me. I never used to want my picture taken, I was too worried about my looks. Pictures save moments in time. This is precious. Life is precious.

Cherish each day. Take these challenges and let me know how they add to your precious lives too!

1. Take more pictures of regular days, not just special occasions

2. Share more pictures with family and friends

3. Plan more adventures

4. Share your adventures to inspire others

5. Express thanks every single day. We are blessed to live our precious, messy lives