Vanessa waved goodbye to me at 4:30 this morning from the Newburyport MA bus depot. I couldn’t help but have passing thoughts of what the heck am I doing. Leaving my amazing wife and friends and work for this crazy dream? Shouldn’t I be planting my garden now? Shouldn’t I be prepping my kayak for a Spring paddle? Shouldn’t I be working on the house? Shouldn’t I be a good friend and reliable companion to my wife? Am I nuts to trade a comfortable life and a loving family for 5 months for the brutality of the 3000 mile trek along the Rocky Mountains from Mexico to Canada that is the CDT?

Few great dreams are ever accomplished, however, by focusing on why you shouldn’t but rather on why you should. The trail is full of magic. From a Milky Way that stretches from horizon to horizon and with more stars than you can count, to tiny lizards doing push-ups trying to impress you with their size, to meeting folks in a different part of the country and realizing that the world is full of kindness. I met a woman on the bus today that had just been released from prison after 6 months behind bars. After we chatted a while, she insisted that I take her fries and a taco. The world is a surprising and wonderful place if you just keep your eyes open and take that giant leap.

Tonight I’m in Lordsburg New Mexico and tomorrow morning bright and early the adventure begins.

-Two Forks