Message:
I can’t believe it’s been nearly one year since Dave and I jogged off the chilly beach in NJ. Running across the country had been a longstanding dream of mine and making it a reality was truly surreal. How in the world we made it across the US without a close call with an automobile, without being threatened, and without any real problems is something that still amazes me. Aside from the early injury setbacks caused by running with the packs on our backs, we never so much as rolled and ankle or tripped on a curb. Getting to meet so many incredibly generous people along the way kept our spirits high, and our attitudes good the entire trip. People often asked us if we got sick of each other. Absolutely not. We never had any real disagreements the entire trip. We felt so fortunate to be in the position of doing exactly what we’ve always wanted to do, that there was never anything to argue about. We were the luckiest guys on earth, and we knew it. That kept us smiling 99% of the time over the 160 days. The other 1% of the time involved some tough moments. I had a few spells on the trip where I really missed my best friend and girlfriend Bethany. There were also a handful of days where I’d wake up, look at hairy, gaunt, unrecognizable face in the mirror, and ask myself, “What are you doing to yourself?” But each day was brand new with fresh scenery and new friends. I can’t stress enough how amazing all of our hosts were. I think about them everyday. They all took in a pair of strangers at the drop of a phone call or an e-mail. They fed us, they did our laundry, they gave us tours of their towns, they told us the stories of their lives, they let us be part of their lives for a day or two at a time…..just as we let them be part of ours. There was never a moment when any host made us feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. They may never truly know how much they each mean to us. We’ve been home from the trip for just over 6 months. So if we’d chosen to turn around in Oregon, I guess we’d be home by now. Huh. Anyways, while we are home from the trip, we will never be finished with the trip. The trip was the beginning of new friendships, and a passage to the next part of life (not sure what that is though). Nothing makes me happier than trading e-mails with people I met along the way. That alone can pick me up when I’m having a down day. Getting an e-mail from someone who was once a stranger, but now forever a friend, reminds me of all the goodness and kindness there is the world. I still shake my head in disbelief when I look back on the trip, and look at how “normal” my life has become once again. Honestly, I have trouble sometimes talking about the feelings the trip gave me because it was my way of life for 6 months, and then it was gone. Losing that way of life was, in many ways, like losing a friend, but I made many new friends along the way. I apologize for how much this note jumps around, and if some of it doesn’t make sense…..but at times I do have a very hard time expressing my feelings about the trip. I’m not sure why, but I do. It was truly a dream. Please read Dave’s recent summary. It says exactly how I feel about the trip. Thanks to all of you, and please keep in touch…..Scott

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