Around the state in eight weeks

Lessons from an eight-week journey

My wife, dad, and family were amazing throughout the trip with resupplying food and providing all kinds of support. Their investment in helping me finish my journey still overwhelms me with gratitude and love.

1: People are kind, caring, and want to help.

Besides my family, Buckeye Trail section supervisors, maintainers, and members met me on the trail to see how I was doing and if I needed anything. Strangers yelled from their porch or cars asking if I needed water and were even offered a shower on an especially hot day. I consider you, me, and the random people along the way more of the Buckeye Trail than the ground itself. The experiences I had with the people I met shine more vividly in my memory than any physical part of the trail. Their thoughtfulness and generosity will always be a highlight of my experience.

2: Communication is important.

As of this writing I’ve been married 4.5 months and have spent two of those on the trail. It was not easy being away from my wife and I was exhausted whenever we got the chance to chat or see each other. Being specific and choosing the right words while being careful with tone are massively important in communicating what you want or need and keeps people from getting frustrated with you for not being clear enough (sorry and thank you).

3: When in doubt, double check.

I ran into avoidable problems with navigation, weather, and gear that could have been averted if I had listened to the little doubting voice in my head. The most memorable example resulted with me slackpacking off trail deep into Shawnee State Forest Backpack Loop. The section of trail that should have taken me an hour to get through took three. Taking a minute to double check the map would have saved me two hours and my dad, who was waiting for me, a lot of worry.

4: Go for it!

It’s amazing what people are capable of. I ran into people who were biking across the country and met several people and dogs who were section hiking the Buckeye Trail. The trail in East Fork State Park is dedicated to an Ohio native who walked around the world. All these individuals had a goal and set out to do it. It’s incredible what a little willpower and planning can accomplish, but you won’t know what’s possible until you try.

The trail as community

These thoughts are not profound. They are standard pieces of wisdom that were further cemented in me by my time on the trail. I have already seen them at work in my everyday life and, as a result, I feel more connected to the trail.

I want to see it grow and prosper so others can find their own reason to love the trail. Not everyone has the same reason for being a part of the Buckeye Trail. For me, it started out as a way to spend time with my wife and grew into so much more. Others enjoy the solitude hiking brings or simply getting boots on the ground (the best trail maintenance) and connecting with nature.

Building the Buckeye Trail community

For a wonderfully fantastic (though currently small) group of people, it’s building or taking care of the trail. One adopter I met combined time cleaning up the trail with his birdwatching and photography hobbies “in a beautiful part of the state with free camping.”

If you enjoy biking or car rides I suggest looking into adopting a portion of on-road trail. Whatever your reason for connecting with the trail may be, I encourage you to embrace it and go for it.

Echoing Andrew Bashaw’s thoughts from the Summer Trailblazer, I hope that in going for it we can get more people involved and help make the trail and the association even better. I plan to attend as many work parties as I can.

A while ago my wife and I made it out for one day of a work week in the Whipple Section and had a blast! Double check the website to see if there are events or other avenues that may help you strengthen and enjoy your connection to the trail. Contact a section supervisor or the office to see if they can help you help the trail.

Chat with your friends, neighbors, and random people you meet. Communicate what you wish to do with the trail and invite them to join you and help you do it. It may take a bit of persuasion and you might not get everyone you had hoped, but be flexible and welcome the opportunity that awaits!

A larger Buckeye Trail community can only mean that good things will come. We can make it happen, in probably less time than you think, and the trail will be better for it. Don’t wait for others to do it—let’s take care of it now!