There is only acceptance and an understanding that yes, it’s hard, and yes, I’m going to keep doing it.

I took some time at the border to reflect on how much my life has changed in the past 23 days. My future plans are no longer as solid as they once were.

A rougher, obviously less traveled dirt path, that was occasionally hidden under the hobble bush forged north toward Canada.

Let me tell you, I have never felt more like a thru-hiker after mastering this skill. It came in handy pretty quickly.

The corners of my mouth twitched into the hint of a grin, as what I was about to introduce myself as automatically sprang to the front of my mind.

So as I sat in defeat, alone at this picnic table in the middle of East Burke, VT, I thought to myself, “Well damn, I guess it’s time for another thru-hike.”