In Focus

Some time went by and the trail came up again when I was working on a cruise liner. My contract with the ship was about to end, and soon I would have no home, car, or job, and I was not sure what to pursue next. Little did I know I was bound for the journey of a lifetime — following Him into the wilderness. The Appalachian Trail had my name all over it.

Day 1 April 7, 2000 2:30 p.m.

My journey began April 7, 2000, and from the first mile, I knew the Lord was with me. Atop the trail's beginning at Springer Mountain, Georgia, I encountered two couples and their children. They noticed I was not outfitted for just a day hike and inquired about my plans. I told them it was the first day of a very long walk to Maine and that I

was going to make it only by the grace of God. They were also Christians and kindly asked to pray over me as I embarked on my journey. What a huge blessing at the start! I did most of my pre-trip research by reading books and talking to hiking gurus in quaint outdoor supply shops. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would hike all 2,167 miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin, Maine.

I had to believe this before I even stepped foot on the mountain, otherwise I would never make it. Finally, after much research, planning, preparing, and praying, I was as ready as I was going to be. As Kobi Yamada wrote, "Sometimes you just have to take a leap, and build your wings on the way down." It was going to be a giant leap — with an awfully heavy backpack.

One of my main concerns throughout the trek was food. Thru-hikers (those that are hiking the entire trail) love to talk about food, dream about it, and most of all, consume it. In preparation for the hike, I ransacked Costco and made up a dozen boxes filled with supplies such as Top Ramen, Snickers Bars, macaroni and cheese (Kraft is worth the extra 12 cents), gorp, Lipton dinners, instant oatmeal (sticks to your ribs), hot cocoa, potato flakes, string cheese, rice, Power Bars, peanut butter (breakfast, lunch, and dinner of champions — it went with everything), and Little Debbie snacks.

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