After hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 1996 I have longed to hike the Continental Divide Trail. At 61 years old, I figured I would work for a few more years and start a thru-hike of the CDT in 2019. A slightly unexpected event created the opportunity to change my thinking. On November 17 was told by my employer of eleven years that my job was eliminated. After the layoff-induced anger subsided I realized I had benefited from eleven years of good income, challenging work, and travel to far flung places around the world to do my job: Europe, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Australia, South Africa, China and more. After I was told to seek “other opportunities”, the real opportunity was to follow my heart to the Continental Divide Trail!
Day 1 of the CDT, April 18, 2016