Date: 2014-02-10
To: Graduation/Alaska/2014 Thru Hike
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

I have figured out how to make a new journal for 2014 instead of using my 2011 journal like I was using thanks to a fellow hiker. So, I have added the preparation journals thus far. This is going to be a long one, so I apologize in advanced; but, I have a lot to catch everyone up on. My ex-girlfriend, Laura, and I were supposed to thru hike in 2013 as a lot of you know. We ended up parting ways and plans changed rather quickly (in a matter of a week). I am a firm believer in everything happens for a reason, and today, I now see that reason. Neither of us were prepared to take on that challenge, especially not together. With that said, We actually were not in contact until May of this year. I went back to school and finished my final semester at East Tennessee State University. I graduated May 11, 2013 with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing Management. I'm a traveling soul, and I know I have to complete a thru hike before I start working full time, so that is why I am writing this today. Laura and I took off as friends and traveled North America in a 1986 Astro Van Allegro 21ft RV that I rebuilt from the ground up (in less than one month). It was an absolute blast. I completed just under 16,000 miles and saw much of the lower 48 I had never seen before along with much of Western Canada including Banff and Jasper Nation Parks. We traversed the Alaska Highway which was AWESOME. I saw every animal Alaska has to offer but the wolf. Traveled to the end of the Park Rd in Denali Nation Park and got to see Denali on a CLEAR DAY with a CLEAR VIEW. Spent time in Homer and Valdez. Laura flew back from Anchorage so she could start school and I drove across Canada to Maine to see family. I spent a week in MA with Slick and Coon who are thru hiking this year. They graduated a year before me at North Buncombe High School and it was great to see them on their last stretch of the hike. They should be finishing anytime now. I returned to NC, sold the RV, and starting buying and selling some older trucks in order to pay off my debt from the road trip and make sure I have enough money put away for the thru hike. So, that is where I am today, September 28th, 2013. I will continue to work selling vehicles online for myself until I hike. I will be going to Florida in October with my mom, and then going to Cancun, Mexico with my dad in November. I will spend some time in Maine this winter before I hike. Oh yeah, and the best part, I quit SMOKING CIGARETTES WHILE IN ALASKA! I feel great! I love not being a smoker and I can breath again. I'm a graduate with no "real" job and a goal to complete a thru hike before I start turning in resumes and looking for a real job after I complete the trail. The first 815 miles will be different as I have already hiked them, but I'm looking forward to this hike; very much! I will be going out solo, which is much different from last time, when I started with three other guys I knew. I absolutely cannot wait to be on the trail again, and I'm very fortunate to have the opportunity to give this another shot. For those of you who do not know me or who I am, I'm Blue! I attempted a thru hike in 2011. All of my trail journals from that hike are still on this account. I made it 814.9 miles to the Dutch Haus where I got off the trail because I was mentally tired. Again, I believe everything happens for a reason, so I know now that I would not be where I was today if that did not happen. So, although it was sad, I am glad I did what I did at that time. I look forward to the preparation process. This will be a great hike. YES, I am for sure hitting the trail this year. It has been in the planning since I got off the trail in June of 2011. Until next time,