On the Trail people talk about "real life". And I know exactly what they mean. They mean the one where people have jobs and go to school and have a permanent address. But for me, this is as real as it gets. To depend on my own two feet to move me, to be exposed to the elements, to ache and still not want to stop, to eat whatever it is I carry with me, to be so vulnerable to the absolute kindness of complete strangers- that's real. For me, this isn't some sort of hiatus from the real world. It's an opportunity to see the real world from a different and stunning perspective. And I'm so ridiculously thankful.