Week T-207: The Journey Feels Real
This week felt different.
For the first time, I watched the 2026 southbound Appalachian Trail hikers begin their journey from Katahdin. Watching them take those first steps made 2030 feel a little less like a dream and a little more like a destination.
I also came across the story of “Grey Beard,” a hiker in his nineties who is out there doing the Appalachian Trail again. It’s hard to read stories like that and still find excuses.
Closer to home, I had a personal milestone. Today was my fastest sustained walk yet: 5 miles at an average pace of 17:31 per mile. Speed isn’t my goal, but with the Texas temperature at 101°F, I wasn’t going to complain about finishing a little sooner.
The biggest lesson this week didn’t come from the trail or the stopwatch. It came from the data.
After years of compensating for injuries from my motorcycle accident, I learned there’s over a 7-pound difference in muscle mass between my right and left legs. Honestly, that wasn’t surprising. Seeing it measured was a reminder that I still have work to do. Every step I take is helping build endurance, but now I know I also need to rebuild strength and balance.
I also did something that took me longer than I expected.
I finally made my first Facebook post about The Long Walk Ahead.
That may not sound like much, but it felt like crossing a line. Once you tell people your dream, it becomes real. And if you’re anything like me, there’s always that little voice asking, “What if I fail?”
The truth is, I might.
But I’d rather risk failing while chasing something meaningful than spend the rest of my life wondering what would have happened if I never started.
Now there’s one more thing I need to do.
Make the first video.
I’ve been putting it off. A traumatic brain injury doesn’t exactly make me a smooth talker, and I tend to overthink every word.
Maybe that’s the point.
The Long Walk Ahead was never meant to document perfection. It was meant to document the journey.
Forward still counts.