Old blog, new travels

Hello dedicated fans! I know you've been waiting for this moment since 2013...my return to blogspot. Well, it's finally happened. And this time it's not because I'm going back to Africa (but do check out the earliest posts for some excitement from my semester in SA <3), but because I'm about to embark on a crazy northward hike along the west coast of the USA. WOOHOOO!

This blog is for all the fam and friends who would like to check out my progress, hear some stories, and see some pictures from the journey. I'll do my best to keep up and post when I make it to towns with wifi, but seeing as I posted a total of 10 times over the course of four months in South Africa, I can't make any promises you'll hear from me every week :)

So now the big question: Why am I walking over 2600 miles from Mexico to Canada?
And the big answer: Why not?! Why not take a few months out of my schedule to do something I thoroughly enjoy (backpacking, laduh!) while I am fit and not tied down to big things like a mortgage or Sims family who needs taking care of. The rest of the world will still be around in 6 months when I return, stanky as ever and desperately craving some sweet potato-crusted snapper from Leftovers (Lindsey, where you at??). This adventure will teach me more in five months than twice that time in the "paved world," and since life is short and there's no time to waste, I'll go ahead and get started on May 2nd.

Before that though, I'd like to thank the wonderful folks who have supported me so far, and will hopefully continue to support me with happy messages and care packages (wink, wink).

First of all, Dad, Joanne, and William: thank you for humoring this idea, I have a feeling poo-ing in a cat hole for half a year was maybe not what you had envisioned for me after graduating from college. But alas, here we are. And thank you for the support, emotional, spiritual, monetary, and physical...I love the bras I got for Christmas. For real though, you're the best.

To the many family members:
Thank you Ron&Carey for the gear, for laughing at my stupid stories, and enjoying running shoes as much as I do.
Thank you, Bess, for knitting me a headband which I have turned into a pot cozy.
Thank you, Nana, for the mountains of chocolate chip cookies. The extra blubber I have accumulated on my body will undoubtedly warm me for many cool, crisp nights to come.
Thank you to all who are not named here, you are not forgotten! Luv you

To the friends:
I know all two of you are reading this. You rock.
PS Good luck to Margaret Bujold who is beginning her Peace Corps service in Mozambique the same day I start hiking! You're amazing gurl

Pics to come!
Here's one from our recent practice run in Pisgah last weekend...it's the only picture I took and in classic fashion, it's a delicious cone from post-hike Dolly's Dairy Bar.

BAI