I’ve been dreaming of this 2025 adventure for a long, long time. The idea of long-distance hiking first lodged itself in my brain over a decade ago, as I was laid up with a debilitating back injury, unsure if I’d ever be well enough to attempt such a thing. The Appalachian Trail was always going to be first, but even before I took my first steps on the AT at Springer Mountain, I somehow knew that wouldn’t be the end. . In 2016, just as I was really starting to get my life back post-injury, I traveled to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks with my dad. I wanted to explore the West and he wanted to see the giant sequoias in person. I was blown away by the meadows, framed by the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains. It was a wilderness I wanted to get to know better. This tiny glimpse over a 5-day trip wasn’t enough. I remember looking out into the distance at those peaks, promising I’d be back for them someday as a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker. How I knew then, I don’t know. But nine y...