There are these moments in life when you feel like you're, you know, clearly standing at the edge of a cliff about to step off and you know that nothing's ever going to be the same again, no matter what happens once you take that step.

The night before I started my through, it was that moment. So, Welcome to episode 3 of our trail correspondence series. I am your host

Zach Badger Davis.

Today we're going to check in with a handful of our hikers

during quite possibly the most nerve-rittled moment

of their entire through hike,

the night before they hit the trail.

I remember the night before my first through hike,

vividly. It was spent on a red-eye flight from San Diego to Atlanta. I got maybe 30 minutes of sleep

on this 4 plus hour flight.

My heart felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest.

The entire time I was riddled with the thought that I was making a huge mistake, that I was going to die in the woods, that I was making a huge mistake that I was going to die in the woods that I was in way

over my head which on a lot of levels was true that I wasn't sure if I'd recognize the person who returned from the trail.

Which is funny because that was a big part of what inspired me to take the leap in the first

place.

And you know what?

That's just what happened.

I did change, and for the better. But the

uncertainty before stepping foot on trail led to some truly nuclear

anxiety. And as difficult as this period was, it's a time that I look back at with great fondness.

It marked the beginning of a new chapter, and to date, it's been my favorite part of the story.

Up first and our night before the trail has. It's been my favorite part of the story.

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