Walking to Listen

Gratitude is something I’ve become much more familiar with over the past year, and it’s a lifestyle I want to practice every step from here on out. It’s remembering just how good things are despite whatever distraction it is that’s clouding the vision. Though the walking is over, there’s still a solid 600 miles worth of thanks to give, so buckle up.  A huge thank you to,

Everyone who came out for the finale celebration (too many to name, I’m humbled to say), for making that final moment more perfect than any of the daydreams I’ve spent countless miles envisioning, for all the love and congratulations and warmth, you flew in from Delaware and Alabama, you drove from Arizona and the faraway parts of California, you walked over from your beachside weekend spot a couple yards away, you made it out for me, for us, and I can’t tell you how much that meant, to be among so many friends on that last day, thank you for giving me a moment like none I’ve ever had before and perhaps never will again,

All of you who have written and phoned in your congratulations from afar, and all of you who’ve been reading along throughout these months; we may have never met, and perhaps we never will, but know that just the simple act of checking in provided the type of safety net acrobats use as they twist and flip unharnessed in midair, you were a constant source of motivation, reassurance, purpose, and affirmation, an amazing gift,

All my family, especially Mom, Dad and Beth, Caitlin, and Luke, for letting me go for so long, for your endless love and support, and for being constant and ever-present in a year when not much else was,

Sheila Duggan, Gordon Heyder, and Ashley Moodie, for providing a beautiful landing: a hot tub with a glass of wine, a gourmet dinner, and family? I’d say you made it worth the walk,

Roberto, for galloping out to meet me on your stallion, I’m so blessed to call you friend and to have you here to guide me back into life again,

The friendly police officers in Half Moon Bay who, instead of ticketing me for being a traffic hazard, rooted me on – we missed you at the party!

The honey sellers just miles from the ocean, for the sweet, bumblebee  deluge, your curiosity, and one last meaningful interaction as dude-walking-across-the-country-pushing-his-stuff-in-a-baby-stroller,

The concerned couple on 92 who shouted across the roaring highway, “Do you…do you have a baby in there?” for one last chuckle at the expense of my non-existent infant,

The redwoods near Portola, for exactly what I needed at the time,

Nicola Fleischer, for being such a beautiful part of my past and present, damn I love you, and for bringing me into the last stretch with the good feelings that only your hugs can give, and Elise, Jenna, Mateo, and Letty, for family time, looking forward to more!

Karen in Joseph D. Grant Park, for having the audacity to invite a stranger on the road to lunch (and for making it to the party!), and Sarah and Bruce for one of the most excellent lunch breaks I’ll probably ever have, thank you for the opportunity to reflect and share,

Darlene at the observatory on Mt. Hamilton, for the brick sized and heavy burrito, I needed that,

Jerry who broke down on his motor bike in the coastal range and ran into me as he was pushing it 15 miles back into cell service range, for giving me the opportunity to give someone else a bottle of water,

Mark and Ivonne Hancock, for stopping in Yosemite to say hey and then load me up with (what can only be described as) a cornucopia of provisions, and that dirtily delicious mango, and then for meeting me in Patterson, taking me in, and creating a beautiful evening I’ll never forget, and for spearheading setup and cleanup at the beach, Ivonne!

The guy running that little taco truck outside Turlock, you are culinary magician,

The woman at the grocery store in Turlock for calling me sweetheart, I love that,

Gonzalo and Hector in Planada, for striking up a conversation with a stranger, enjoyed the company,

Bil, Gelyn, and Mae Gleason, for pulling over, making a call, and then going so far out of your way to help me out, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed and needed our time together, and what a perfect conversation to be the final recording,

Jeff and Darren in Catheys Valey, that watermelon you found on the shoulder was indeed bizarre and awesome, thanks for inviting me over for a rest,

The nice police officer who warned me about the narrow road and gave me a cold water outside Mariposa,

The Happy Burger Diner in Mariposa for what must have been a five pound cheeseburger, actually, maybe I shouldn’t be thanking you for that because I was pretty bloated the rest of that day,

Erin Babich, Jason, and Tim Huhn, for reaching out to a stranger on the road, for taking me in during the toughest mental stretch of the entire walk, and for a feast-filled night of warmth and goodness, hope to see you in Yosemite again someday,

Molly Downer, and Alicia, Melissa, Lauren, and Anna, for inspiring me to put everything down someday and truly become a mountainwoman – man, you girls rock, so wonderful to be around kindred spirits, and Molly, for the songs,

Janine at the Crane Flat gas station in Yosemite, for a conversation that made my morning,

Ted the ranger in Yosemite, for checking in on me on that skinny road,

Chip, for the decency and courage to come say hello,

Bob, for your triumphant howl as you biked past and then for the beautiful smile and delicious bars you gave me the next day,

Ali Mohr and the Tuolumne Meadows crew, for a surprise campfire cookout, can’t tell you how much I appreciated and enjoyed you all, I’d love to meet again someday,

Foster Jones for hooking me up at the gates of Yosemite,

Jennifer, the shining waitress at the Tiogo Pass Lodge, for picking up my lunch that day and far more than that, for one of those extraordinary moments of yes,

Jason who’d spent all night walking twenty miles back to Lee Vining because his friends pranked him, for the company at the beginning of the climb,

Drew Foster in Lee Vining, for the last minute come-through, and Rose and Baird for my first summer barbeque, and all of you for the blessing of a happy night,

The carful of LA tourists who stopped to say hello, root me on, and give me some dinner cash, amazing,

Veranique and Bill who skyrocketed into the I’ll-never-forget-you realm by driving back to meet me on the road after we’d crossed paths on their bike ride to bring me ice and a mint chocolate chip milkshake, that’s how you know life is good, thank you,

Julie Vargo, for the finest roadside chai meeting I’ve ever had (indeed, the only), for the wisdom of a fellow traveler and foot scratcher, and for hooking me up throughout Yosemite and before,

Kiara in Mammoth Lakes, for your kindness, for a perfect breakfast, for the stories from your wandering days, and for showing me the true delight of a well-made California health shake, I’m gonna need that recipe,

Bri for stopping to say hello despite the busyness of your day,

Joseph, for stopping in the middle of the highway to give me the entire contents of your lunchbox cooler, so inspiring,

Steven in Toms Place, for picking up breakfast, and even more for the reflections you brought out,

Amber and Brynn, for being simply wonderful people, I mean, who circles around out of their way for a complete stranger and then makes a phenomenal wrap right there on the shoulder, who does that?!

Victoria Ortiz, for taking care of me in Bishop and beyond and for reminding me why we travel and seek and then settle, and Elsbeth Otto for your sweetness and that crazy good burrito,

The road pirate biking from Big Pine to Bishop, for that magnificent beard,

Jill Sisson, to the universe, first, for the serious string-pulling it took to have our paths cross twice, for being my mom-away-from-mom, for picking up my motel room, and for sharing advice and process over a breakfast I’ll remember forever, thank you,

The folks at Jenny’s in Independence, niceness begets niceness,

All the Mount Whitney hikers, for being a part of that day,

Mori, for committing yourself to getting here, I can’t believe you did that, you inspire me with your questioning and humility, I’m ridiculously blessed to have been sent your way in life, to the many miles we have awaiting us,

Dan McRoberts, for spinning yarns from the tramp mining days, for your hospitality,

Tom in Panamint Springs, for your adventuring,

The young couple who gave me a grand California welcome,

Jose and Carmelo, the gold miners, for stopping in the dead of night in Death Valley to make sure all was well,

Rose Davis, I love when I see, hear, or experience something that crystalizes the meaning of a word or phrase, and this was you when it comes to “to be taken under someone’s wing,” thank you for calming me in the fearful desert,

Richard Stephens and the Beatty crew, for backing me up in the heat of Nevada, I needed it in a bad way and I’ll be forever grateful,

Officer Dan, for checking in,

Fatima Basta, for loading me up with all manner of food, and for your loveliness,

Michele, Andrew, Pam at the Amargosa Valley health clinic, for being in the perfect place at the perfect time, who knew dehydration could sneak up on you like that?, thank you for being lifesavers (maybe literally?),

Mr. Dennis at the RV park, for the complimentary stay on your land and the shower, many thanks for starting that day off so positively.

 

Countless people, countless thanks, this just the beginning, really. To all of those unnamed across the country and across the world, thank you. And to the land, thank you. And to the mysterious and fate and serendipity, thank you. In gratitude, always.