Life After the Trail — Joe on the A.T.

Hey folks! It's been a little over two months since I've returned from the trail, mostly readjusted to the muggle life and have had time to reflect on the journey.

The first couple weeks home were extremely odd and a bit overwhelming. Right away I dove back into city mode as I got some killer freelance work that would help offset the cost of my journey. Surprisingly getting back to work wasn't the hardest part, but the overstimulation of the city and zombie-esque inhabitants boggled my mind. Every morning I rode the bus into the city and found most people unpersonable, looking at their phones, avoiding eye contact, and not even saying hello or good morning. I may be hyper-critical of these certain bus riders indifference to each other after being immersed in one of the most supportive and sociable trail communities, but the trail, deaths and accidents of family members and friends have taught me that life is extremely delicate and that you must not take a single day for granted. And I'm going to try my damnedest to stoke my fire everyday for myself and the people I meet, with a smile, a hello, a genuine conversation and an overall positive outlook filled with compassion, acceptance and love for all.

As I was asked by others and myself during the hike, "What's next?". Well I'll definitely be hiking more, no question about that, I'm hooked, maybe not as long, but who knows ... maybe I'll be able to convince my lady and pup to join me on another one. Otherwise I'm going to keep designing but also put effort and energy into outdoor education and local trails, trying to give back to the community at large that has given me so much. And I'll probably try and convince everyone that they need to go out on a "thru-hike" at least once in their life, whether its actually hiking or not. Just to mix up the life they know and feel safe in, explore this wonderful world, you might be surprised what you find out there but mostly what's within yourself.

Again I want to thank all the trail angels on the A.T., all of my supportive family, my trail mates, my visiting homies Tom, Beckman, Nate and Matty and my lovely lady Sara for holding down the fort and remodeling some of it too.

Happy trails.
75° and sunny, every day ... even in Minnesota.