Date: 2010-01-26
To: Final Update
Miles today: 0.0

Dear readers,I've received some more emails about people wondering what I am up to these days now that almost a year has passed since it was me who was anxiously counting down the days until I left for Springer. Springer Fever has hit me hard this Spring. I longingly wish it were me prepping for a thru-hike again. Instead, I am living vicariously through a few on trailjournals who are attempting it this season. I'm also doing my best to be a resource to some women who have emailed me with questions and concerns as they prep for their hike. It's fun to submerse myself back into "trail mode" when responding to their questions. Many have mentioned how helpful my journal has been. It makes me happy to know people appreciated it and are finding it to be a good resource (with, of course, some entertainment value!). I can't lie, I got a little sad when the day came a few weeks ago when the 2010 journals took over the primary page on trailjournals. I remember the day it happened for me in '09 when all of a sudden my journal was posted right there, no need to click a different year! It was a small but simple pleasure. And now, I'm on the other end; my year's journals have been replaced with the newest class about to embark on the grandest of adventures. Life goes on...Despite it not being me thru-hiking again, I can't complain about the turn of events that have come my way recently. Heading into my thru-hike I had no plans for after the trail. I wanted to be open to whatever life threw at me, and I'm glad I was because it's thrown some wonderfully unexpected things my direction.I am moving to St. Louis next weekend. Why you may ask? I'll be the first to admit that it was never on my radar of places to live. Apparently, when you meet Mr. Right, love trumps all and suddenly everything is worth compromising for. In fact, it doesn't even feel like a compromise or sacrifice. And, as luck would have it, the first job I applied to in St. Louis(and most appealing of any that I have applied to since returning from the trail) I got, after a very long, drawn out, hiring process. I'm learning non-profits do not work at the speed of light.I will be a Residential Counselor for a non-profit called Boys Hope Girls Hope. It's a national organization with headquarters in St. Louis. Their mission statement is: Boys Hope Girls Hope helps academically capable and motivated children-in-need to meet their full potential and become men and women for others by providing value-centered, family-like homes, opportunities and education through college. Their website is www.http://new.boyshopegirlshope.org/. As a Residential Counselor, I will be a primary caretaker and "house mom" for the teenage girls who live in the Girls Hope home. I am extremely excited about the opportunity and think it will be a great fit-- similar to what I was doing at Sage Walk, except without the wilderness component, and less mental-health based. The puzzle pieces of my life seem to be falling into place better than I could have imagined. I just wrapped up my job at Moosejaw; it was a wonderful place of employment while in transition mode after the trail. I depart on Saturday for St. Louis and begin work on Monday. I plan on being very active in the Ozark Trail Association, as my boyfriend will be in charge of their Adopt-A-Trail program this year. We have trail maintenance excursions already planned as well as a lot of overnights! Who knows... maybe an OT thru-hike is in my future. The AT is always with me. I say that I'm wishing it was me prepping for another thru-hike, but honestly, I wouldn't trade my current situation for anything, not even an AT thru-hike; although I'd love to section hike it all again over the course of my lifetime. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't take much arm twisting for Will to do it with me, either. In fact, you could say we kicked it off with a day hike south from Delaware Water Gap over MLK weekend! The picture is from the summit of Mt. Minsi. It was 35 degrees, raining, and I was in Pennsylvania, and I was hiking VOLUNTARILY! I couldn't believe it. If one thing has become apparent since finishing my thru-hike it's that a day on the trail is better than a day off it, even if it's 35, rainy, rocky, and uphill. And Will was totally up for it, we had a great time. Like I said, my kinda guy... There you have it. If there's one thing the trail taught me, it's "things will always work themselves out..." My life seems to have done just that.Happy Trails,WagsPS- Gangsta and I remain close. We had a great time texting back and forth last night while watching The Bachelor (some things never change). Last week she was driving to Mississippi and I was driving to Missouri, so we kept each other company via phone for awhile while driving. Our hiking shoes were replaced by cars, our communication was via cell towers, we were moving a lot quicker than 3 mph, yet things felt the same. It was trail life meshing with the real world, and I liked it.