A leap of faith, photo story-telling inspired by @vickyloras

A great tale, Brad! Makes me want to get out there right now!

Funny… i know EXACTLY what you mean  Hopefully one day soon, eh !  

Thanks Clive.

lovely … really lovely  
I was torn between the sunset (always a sucker for sunsets)  and the fire, but the fire won out, love the look on your face … a lot of in-joying going on there! 
thanks for sharing, what a great, great way to tell a story 

REALLY nice post, Brad. When i saw ‘T-of-A rejection’, I read T&A for a second!
Like the other commentors, it makes me want to get out the old boots again and go hermit on everyone’s ass!

I’ve always known that you had done some things like this (just look at the photos you post or the personality you have) but it is delicious to read your more personal summary of one particular travel! I haven’t done anything outdoorsy (like camping not in a trailer) for an extended period (like 2 weeks) since I was about 16.  I’m not sure I’d be equipped physically or emotionally anymore to do so, though there’s a part of me who really misses just being somewhere outdoors, quiet, at night, with a fire.

Hi Brad! (or, Soeur Hawk : )

What an absolutely beautiful, super, amazing post!!!!! Thanks so much for sharing all your experiences and beautiful pictures! You took us on a great trip and as I have not done much travelling in my life, it was so super for me! What great things you have seen, people you have met, things you have done! (What are the beasts of the night? ; ) I liked the story of the Trail Angels, the places you have seen, the animal pictures and whew – ya managed to scare me too with that one on the cliff : )))

Thank you so much for this beautiful post and for sharing some details of your life which bring us even closer to our great friend : )))

Big big big grande hugs,
Vicky

[...] Patterson, a very good friend in France, has published his photo-blog story: Beautiful post and pictures! : Imagine a pilgrimage… where you trekked for month after month… and each step took you [...]

 Glad you liked it Bren.  

I’ve had the hermit temptation a number of times and have even kind of given it a try (another story).  The thing about these 4 months was that I’d never spent more time with people.  I was almost never alone, and the moments when I was it was often magical.  Really alone.  Somewhat in nature’s hands and fragile.  

I’d love to be there again.  Soon !

Cheers, b

Thanks Ty  !  ;-)  (warm blush)

Funny thing is I’d never done anything more than an over-night before I was 25 and decided to do 4-months worth.  I had done tons of hikes, but nothing long-term.  I’d wondered as well if I’d be physically/emotionally capable and I think that challenge invigorated me.  

Be outdoors, far from urban noise, pollution, craze… at night, with a fire.  OUI OUI !!!  Haven’t done it in almost a year and would love to get back out… the winter’s coming on and that’s a special time to be outside.  It’s even more quiet.

Thanks for always sharing your thoughts, here, there and everywhere.  A true pleasure.  Cheers, b

Hey Ceri.  Glad you enjoyed it !  Moi aussi

That fire picture defines an age for me… was such a wonderer those days and I think I was asking the fire to tell me its story !  That night was one of the coldest of my life… probably -20C and I slept under a cliff ridge… the fire was so warm and wonderful that it ended up melting my BRAND NEW boots… oh well, felt good !

Cheers, b

eeeeeeyyyyy Vicky, my inspiration

The Trail Angels were the coolest.  We’d run into them every few days or weeks and sometimes they just left stuff sitting there, other times they greeted you or even put you up for a night with a home-cooked meal.  Some of the warmest generosity I’ve felt in a very long time.  

Pic 1 was the first Trail Angels we ran into on my second day on the trail with my cousin.

Pic 2 were these guys that sent up camp and fed meals everyday to thru-hikers.

Pic 3 is this guy that pulled his car up alongside the road we hiked past in New York and had SO MUCH tasty food !  He did that every weekend.  So cool.

Another guy once fed 12 of us baked potatoes, LOBSTER, and other delish food in the middle of nowhere in Maine… amazing.

Trip of a lifetime Vicky, and this is the first time I’ve shared it on the net.  Thanks again for the inspiration !    Cheers, b

Truly inspiring, Brad. It takes great courage and a certain touch of masochistic insanity to do something like that, but  what you gain from it is something you don’t gain from all the books in the world or from all the great teaching you might have had the pleasure of receiving. Bravo! The Trail Angels – isn’t it simply touching to know no matter where you are there are really kind-hearted people, who give something for nothing?
I doubt if you’d ever be able to repeat this journey – it’d be better to do a different one – but, whatever journey you may embark on next, just don’t do that head stand again, will you?

Brad,
what  a reminder of why I never a miss a post of yours!
Reading your posts is always an ecouragement to take leaps of faith, to be curious about words and life and loook for the adventure in everything! Sometimes its one, sometimes another, but there is always something to discover!

What super people! So kind of them. The goodness of some people just touches your heart. As has yours and your friendship! So happy to know you. Hope to see you soon buddy : )))))

Big big hugs,
Vicky

Hey Badger-

LOVED checking out your site and I’ll immediately share this which gave me pangs of nostalgia and is a much more dynamic experience of the entirety of the trail as you lived it.

5 millions steps in 5 minutes:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cJsltQtpBM4

Look forward to hearing more about your book.  Interesting that you mention increasing the success rate of thru-hikers… would love to discuss that thought more and of course it is a pyschological trial, but honestly it was only with the squeeters in 90 weather in Jersey (especially at night) that I thought twice.  Tons of folks run into physical problems too.

Long story short, thanks for stopping by and I’ll shoot you an email to chat more.

Cheers, Soeur Hawk

Thanks for stopping by, bud !

Funny you mention masochism… i suppose all endurance athletes could be described that way and yet I don’t know that they identify with it.  I don’t, but viewed from the outside, I could see how that’s the perspective.
Trail Angels were amazing.  Amazing.

I’d like to do it again, but maybe North-to-South which ends up being much more solitary.  Or, I’ve had other friends I hiked with who have gone on to hike both the PCT and CDT in the US (longer and more technically challenging than the AT).  Think I’d do that… or the Camino de Santiago, but I would really like to hike again like that.

For you, and just for you, Chiew, I’ll not do the handstand, but at that point in my life I was teaching yoga and was very in control… still… please don’t show my mom

Cheers, b

Naomi, you’re awesome and made my day, night and weekend.

That is life… always something to discover.  Wonderful to be sharing w/ you here, there and everywhere… looking forward to the lasagna…

cheers, b

Brad, 

Finally found some time to come and read this, and you have stirred up some serious emotions!! What an incredible journey. Your pictures are amazing, my favourite is still the headstand though, closely followed by the falling ducks and the sunset. 

I have the dream (which came within one month of happening about 3 years ago, long story) of cycling to Moscow, getting the Transiberian Express across the Gobi (and getting off to cycle across some of it too), then cycling from Beijing down through Vietnam and seeing where the world takes me from there. I have all the kit, I have the desire, life just got in the way. 

I need to get out there. 
It’s stories like yours that remind me what I need to do!
Jem 

It’ll happen, Jem.  It’s always a timing thing.  Your desire is there (and the kit !)

I have a french acquaintance that did Paris-Beijing 100% in reclined vélo.  I love travelling by bike but honestly I find it more tiring than by foot.  I did 1000km 2 summers ago in France and it’s magnificent when you see on average 3 castles a day.  LOL.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to traverse Mongolia, China and Vietnam (though had a friend who did the last n Laos too).  That’s a different journey altogether.

When you find the time for your journey, keep me posted.  I’d LOVE to accompany you for a week… and if I’m in china, I’ll be your interpreter

Thanks again for your kind words and make it happen, Jem !

Cool post, Brad. I love all the photo’s. Your sporting a great beard in the picture with the horse. The trip sounds awesome. I have read about the Appalachian trail and would love to try it some day. I thin of all the photos, the best has to be the one of you (I think it’s you) and the dog crossing the makeshift bridge. Not sure who is concentrating the hardest, you or the dog.

haha… funny story, Nadiyah.  Amazing how little ‘tricks’ like that can make a baby smile.

Thanks for your kind words.  I do feel very lucky and that handstand was pretty invigorating !

Haha… the dog  That’s actually a photo of one of the buddies I hiked with every now and again.  You should really consider the AT.  It was the time of my life.  Since my trip, I’ve had a few other friends who have done it as well and I think it was a life-defining experience for them too.

The beard was nearly 3 months of growth.  Only time I’ve ever done that and it’s kind of fun to have a beard to play with  Thanks for stopping by, Adam !   Cheers, b

thanks amazing, dude!

i like the beard.  and the hair in the first picture is kinda getting back to be trendy

The beard is a winner… even better pics on facebook where I’m mid-way thru shaving it off.  lol

Trendy… wow… first ever for me !  I guess that means I’m stuck, 10 years behind and 10 years ahead

Great to have your life pieced together. Favourite pic? The photoshopped one of you doing a headstand over a sheer drop. Why, it even looks real.

haha… David, always nice to hear from you, mate !

Your the first to challenge it… and maybe not the last.  Glad i didn’t fall… wouldn’t have been a kodak memory

I prefer the falling ducks picture.    (Professional defect: what a great starting point for a student written story…)

That’s by far one of my favorite photos ever… defines how much fun I had hiking with 007… and yes, that is a professional defect (from both your teaching and creative art pasts [which are really one-in the same]) that’s simply lovely !  cheers matt !

just to give a bit of background… there was a big tower by it and we assumed (cuz we didn’t see it happening) that it was some kind of game.  There was a kiddie pool too and we thought that kids tried to throw rubber duckies into the kiddie pool from 10 meters up.  Ahh… life

Love it. 

That’s all!

Thanks, man.  I loved it too !

Never late to catch up with the tale of a trail n that too of a wonderful member of my PLN. Really amazed at the kind of life you’d Brad n really glad to see many Twitterers here – though we haven’t met through posts like this we keep learning about n discovering each other. Thanks for posting this B B-).

Never late to catch up with the tale of a trail n that too of a wonderful member of my PLN. Really amazed at the kind of life you’d Brad n really glad to see many Twitterers here – though we haven’t met through posts like this we keep learning about n discovering each other. Thanks for posting this B B-).

Hey Cherry !  Thanks for stopping by and sharing such a heart-warming comment.

That was the journey of a lifetime, and you’re right, we’re all on a journey here too that is quite wonderful… never would’ve imagined that I could be connected to so many passionate educators around the world.  A-MAZING.    Cheers, b

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