My life after life

I thought I would give an update to everything that has come to be since the trail.

Life after the trail is...interesting. You get off the trail on this amazing life high. Life on the trail for 4 months, in my case, was simple, challenging, and amazing. Everything life demanded of me was on my back. I looked out for me, and didn't have to worry about other people's ignorance and idiocracy stopping me from accomplishing and doing everything I wanted. I said it before, I'll say it again - my hike was grueling and exhausting, often painful, frustrating, at times monotanous, and the most amazing experience I have ever encountered. Every single day I think about when I will be able to go back and finish, and I wait with eager anticipation.

Now I have been off the trail for almost 3 months. Less time that I spent on the trail. And it's mildly numbing. My life experiences more variety than it ever did on the trail. I now have more human contact in a day than I had in a week out there. I have access to luxuries on a daily basis. To the "normal" person, my life should be better and easier.

While my life is more convenient, it's rough. Finding a job to pay for all the things that come with living in a permanent home has been exceptionally difficult. I seriously toyed with the idea of giving up my apartment and living out of my car/tent. I eventually decided that finding a roommate was a more acceptable solution, and while I am extremely happy with my new apartment, I still dream about how life presented itself on the trail, and I struggle to find a way to adapt that mentality to my day to day off trail living.

Part of what is so wonderful about trail life is the adventure that every day held. Also, each day held a uniqueness. Every day was special, and I can literally remember nearly ever single shelter/tentsite I stayed in every night for 4 months, and I can remember snippets of nearly every single day I hiked for 4 months - animals I saw in what state, what the trail was like, mountains I hiked, weather, and so on and so forth. Interestingly, I can hardly remember what happened a week ago, and can barely tell you what I did yesterday. Yet each day on the trail stands alone as a vivid and special memory. What a way to experience life!

I've been fortunate that my boyfriend, Matt, or Rocket as you know him through this blog, has helped generate adventure off the trail. We have found lots of smaller free adventures to experience, and that has helped so much with the overall transition. I'm so lucky to have someone in my life who loves life like I do, who seeks out new experiences like I try to, and who is constantly in search of something exciting to challenge himself with.

I'm adjusting. I'm loving my "new" life. Slowly my life is unfolding and molding into something that is amazing and makes me excited and proud. So stay tuned :) There is certainly more to come!