The Night Before…

Triple checking gear, crippling anxiety, need I mention the notorious “nervous poops”? These are all things I was told to expect the night before we set out on such a grand journey. Maybe I have a Moscow mule or two to blame, but I feel oddly at ease. Perhaps it’s due to having such a stellar support team, or perhaps it’s just the naivety of the young, but I can’t seem to focus on anything but the excitement in my heart. Having done our final gear pack today and filled our bellies with hearty southern comfort foods, I feel nothing but readiness to set foot on a path so many only dream about.

I find it only fitting to mention the road-trip that got me here, because my what an adventure it was! Having spent the last five days with my dad on the highway, it goes without saying that we had a lot of engaging conversations and met some wonderful folks along the way. Here are some highlights:

My biggest takeaway from this last week was simply the value of presence. Shaking off a few years of the “go-go-go” mentality, it can be difficult to remind yourself how important it is to be fully invested in your time with someone, rather than focus on the upcoming things demanding your attention.

It’s such a rare commodity anymore to just enjoy conversation with someone. To put yourself on the line and feel recognized, and conversely to recognize someone else in their entirety. What a blessing it is to share stories with another, to laugh until you cry and cry until you wheeze. I damn near had to pull off the road a time or two just to collect myself from laughing so hard!

I’ll leave this entry with a simple thank you to the man that made this road trip one to remember: Big Timber (my dads nickname). You are a legend of legends, the greatest disc jockey ever, a kindred spirit to all and a whimsical story teller to boot. Couldn’t have done it without ya big guy, and all your weather updates! 😀 And with that, it’s time to get some shut eye because I’ve got some walking to do.