I received something very special in the mail today. I’m incredibly bad at getting the mail. In fact, I think my mail man hates me.

I picked up this heavy package in the midst of an enormous stack of unopened mail. As soon as I saw the return address, I knew what it was. It was my Sheltowee Trace Association medal. I had seen other hikers receive theirs, but I have been so busy lately it slipped my mind. Receiving this has really made my week.

In the letter it says “The STA would like to honor your amazing achievement as a multiple end to ender of the Sheltowee Trace NRT. It is no small feat to hike the whole trace once. To do it more than once speaks highly of your grit and determination to achieve this goal.”

I had dreamed of hiking the entire ST for over 25 years. Through the STA I was finally able to do it in 2016, and 2017. In both of those years I made some great friends and amazing experiences that I’ll never forget. This recognition is a great reminder of all the ups and downs. I’ll always share this with pride.

Thank you, Steve Barbour and the STA, for this awesome organization, and the memories that will always be with me.

Happy trails to all the End to Enders past, present, and future. May you find many exciting trails and excellent hiking partners to share your experiences with!