The Power of a Trail
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As the spring hiking season approaches, I have been reminiscing about some of my favorite Trail Conference stories. Some tales involve encounters with rare snakes; others tell of romance. Sometimes the details get slightly exaggerated, but the stories are always entertaining. One story begins in Miami, Florida with a computer trainer who was dissatisfied with his job. In spite of having just earned an MBA in International Business and Management Leadership, his search for a meaningful career was not bearing fruit. Finally, in an act of desperation he sold his home, quit his job—and decided to hike the Appalachian Trail. His friends and family—especially his mother—told him that he was throwing his life away; they said he had no idea how to hike and that he would starve. Their lists of questions and concerns were endless. But on July 15, 2001, he began his journey with his dog Koda, on Mount Katahdin in Maine. Over the next five months and five days, the hiker’s relationship with nature changed and subsequently, the way he viewed the world changed too. He was amazed by the stunning beauty of the Maine woods, the rolling hills of Vermont, and the delicate nature of his surroundings. The generosity of the people he met on his hike who gave him water, food and let him sleep in their homes was overwhelming. During his hike he made incredible friendships and developed a strong bond with those who shared the aches and pains of thru-hiking. He navigated through forest fires, found a gun that had been used in a robbery and saw bears in the wild. Being in the woods on 9/11 gave him a unique perspective of the changing world around him. The transformation that had begun in Maine continued until he finished his hike in Georgia (read his entire journal above). On December 19, 2001, the hiker was joined by his mother, and together they hiked the last mile of his journey. Like that last mile, his life-changing achievement of thru-hiking all 2,168 miles of the AT was not a solo effort. Thousands of individuals contributed to making his experience possible. It was the culmination of the efforts of organizations like the Trail Conference, whose members selflessly donate their time and money to build, maintain, and protect the trail that provided him with the pathway for his great adventure. In the end, the thru-hiker realized that he wanted to give back to the outdoor community and enable other people to enjoy the outdoors, just as he had. He wanted to work for an organization where he could make a difference in people’s lives and play an active role in protecting the recreational resource that had changed his life. The thru-hiker in the story is me. Five years and three job titles later, I still work at the Trail Conference, now as the Development Director. During my time with the Trail Conference, I have had the privilege of meeting and working with people who are just as passionate about protecting hiking trails as I am. People such as:
Each of our members contributes in their own way. Some decide to make protecting open space and hiking trails a career choice, as I have, while others volunteer their time and expertise to the Trail Conference. Others provide much needed financial support. Our volunteer Board of Directors, for example, has created a matching fund for our spring appeal. They have offered to match your donation, dollar for dollar, up to $16,000! You too can take an active role in protecting the trails that so many hikers have come to cherish, by making a donation now. Think about your own hikes and how Trail Conference volunteers helped make them possible. Your help now is greatly needed and appreciated. Thank you for making my hike possible, Joshua Howard
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V3 Last updated: April 26, 2007 Copyright © 1996-2008 New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Privacy Statement.
