Functional Movements

Sitting still is not my forte. I’m not sure if I run away from my fears or just can’t get to the next adventure fast enough…either way, I should've figured it out a long time ago. I’m a mover.

Coast to Coast

I write this from a rainy beach campground near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. A month ago, I was in Arizona. Before that, I lived in the California Cascades. My car is my home and my vessel- I pay rent in gas and oil changes, I sleep uncomfortably close to my few belongings, I wake up to a new view almost every day, and I love my life on the road.

This is quite the change from where I was a year ago, at the beginning of a financial and emotional tailspin. I’m happy to say it didn’t last long. The day after my last post in January, I packed my shit and moved back to my parent’s. My heart was breaking in Minneapolis, and I just needed somewhere safe to take a breath. In February, I packed up yet again and hit the road for Colorado, Nevada, Oregon. 

The reason I left this time was for my dream job, which quickly became my worst nightmare. Working with Find It Detection Dogs involved a lot of hiking, a bit of running, and some occasional tripping. It was not supposed to involve a shoulder dislocation, but it did- my third one. Horrendous, excruciating, crippling pain I wouldn’t even wish upon Donald Trump himself. The news that followed was almost as painful: my right shoulder was toast. Burnt toast. Surgery was the only option my lifestyle allowed for, so I flew back to Michigan and straight into my mother’s open arms. It was a new low I had never experienced before. 

Adaptation

I managed to keep my head up through the pain and the prognosis, and somehow I landed another job (what?!). The vibes were on my side and, to be honest, it was terrifying. I ended up in beautiful northern California, working with Spotted Owls and recovering from the blows of the previous months.

Recover I did! Holy hell. What an amazing summer. Roo and I lived in our tent by the river, hanging out in the sun all day and chasing owls at night. I made ridiculously cool friends, road tripped to places I never thought I’d see, and even met a handsome man to share my adventures with. 

I adapted. What choice did I have? I couldn’t just sit around and wait for my life to heal itself. I learned to keep my backpack straps tight, take strategic steps through the woods, and ask for help when I needed it. I taught myself to be vulnerable, logical, and selfish. I loved myself.

Preparation

Being actively on the move means each day is spent preparing for the next one to arrive. It’s a fast paced way of living, but keeps you in check so you never miss a moment. These days, my focus is shifting to prepare for the most solid goal I have ever set for myself: in 2017, I will thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

I made my decision to hike the trail in 2014, but had never been to the west coast. Until this year, it seemed unrealistically far away. As luck (or fate, or odds) would have it, Chester CA is the first town after the midway point on the PCT.  I was able to work, play, and become immersed in hiker culture. I met my boyfriend and on weekends, I followed him up the trail as he walked what felt like my future. I was, and am, beyond inspired. I am affirmed. 

Schedule, timeline, gear, food, money, patience, and persistence. They are all things I will need for this hike, and the next 5 months will be spent largely in preparation for it. I will not be held back by heartbreak or hardship anymore. I will move my feet, one after the other, on every inch of that trail and through every moment of this life.