Where It Started

After my mother passed away in 2012, I was given the book Pieterpad – Part 2. On weekends, Aimee and I would walk a few sections at a time, slowly covering more ground with each trip. It helped me process the loss of my mother and gradually let it settle.

The simplicity of it all — carrying only what was essential: a backpack, a tent, food — felt right. That return to basics resonated deeply, and before long I found myself drawn into the world of ultralight gear.

The AT (Appalachian Trail), PCT (Pacific Crest Trail), and CDT (Continental Divide Trail) soon found their way onto my bucket list. Completing all three earns the Triple Crown, the most iconic long-distance trails in the United States. After walking three Caminos, I’ll be applying for a permit for what feels like the most epic hike of them all: the Pacific Crest Trail.