6/19/22
White Mountain Guide Day One

A gentle mist kissed my cheeks as I strapped on my pack and headed towards the US/Canadian border. A cold front had blown in overnight and the trees swayed in front of me. It felt like a dream and from the moment that I got out of my car, I smiled. This time I wanted to take it all in, to go slow and stay present. Last time it was about making miles, this time it’s about the experience. The boundary swarth was more overgrown than two years ago when I walked the gap that carves an imaginary line between the United States and Canada. It weaved and climbed through the undergrowth and I followed. Then I retraced my steps and emerged from the forest renewed, revived, back in my body. I ended my 2020 attempt broken in a million tiny pieces and slowly, over the next fifteen months I will put those pieces back together in whatever way I see fit. This isn’t about rewriting the past. This is a whole new beginning.