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this text finds themselves on a mountain slope in northern California. They had removed their hiking boots, but one had accidentally fallen into the trees below. as they come to realize the futility of having one boot without the other. They throw the remaining boot away in frustration. The narrator reveals that they are twenty-six years old, alone, and orphaned. Their father left when they were young, and their mother passed away when they were twenty-two. The loss of their parents and the scattering of their siblings left the narrator feeling adrift. In the years leading up to this moment, the narrator had been wandering and searching for meaning. They had traveled across different states until they found themselves without boots on the mountain slope. It is at this point that they discover the Pacific Crest Trail, a world they had known about but had never experienced. The trail becomes a symbol of hope and transformation for the narrator, a place where they can find their true self. They first learned about the trail seven months prior when they were going through a difficult time in Minneapolis. The description of the trail on the back cover of a book intrigued them, and they felt drawn to embark on this journey.