I’m Juliet, and I never dreamed I’d get here.
I’m not one to back down from a challenge, but having grown up in suburban Virginia and become a medical sales rep, I still surprise myself when I wake up on a mountainside under snowfall, or outrun wildfires through fields of ash, or live days at a time without a shower or cellular data.
I was born adventurous, but this is the story of how I became an adventurer. These days, you can find me living in Colorado, adventuring, backpacking, hiking, camping, climbing, and doing just about everything outdoors.
The purpose of this blog is not only to inspire adventure seekers to explore more of the beautiful world, but also to provide you with the tools and tips to plan safe, responsible, and stress-free trips.
MY STORY (SO FAR)
I grew up with a travel-loving, outdoorsy, free-spirited family who really pushed me to see the world. I traveled mostly domestically while I was young, including three cross-country road trips, but right after college set off on my first international adventure. After a few months backpacking with friends through Europe, I was hooked. So hooked that I went back six months later on my first solo trip to Europe and the Middle East.
I moved to Los Angeles in 2017 and started my 9-5. I loved my job but was determined to find sufficient time for travel and adventure. In 2019, I set off on a solo trip to Southeast Asia. It was one of the most exciting, eye-opening, and empowering trips of my life.
I quickly booked another solo trip — a beach hop through Costa Rica — but, well, coronavirus hit and you know what happened next.
Quarantine.
At the start of quarantine, I read “Wild”, by Cheryl Strayed. Inspired is an understatement. I started to think, “Could I backpack 2,650 miles?”, “Could I even backpack?”, “Is this even me?”. My friend Stephanie (who I met at a hostel in Thailand) was just as inspired and together we were determined to tackle a thru-hike. We chose the 236 mile John Muir Trail and dove right into intense planning, gear/food prep, and training.
Unfortunately, 5 days in, we got evacuated because of smoke from a nearby fire. We were sad it was cut short but we knew the trail would still be there next year. We quickly set off on many new adventures as I knew I’d found a new passion for backpacking. Nothing seemed to beat a sunrise over an alpine lake, a summit of a hard-earned peak, or a starry night in the mountains.
On September 4th, 2021, I watched the sun rise on the summit of Mt. Whitney on the final day of my John Muir Trail adventure. I did it, I finally did it, but I still dreamed of something more…
In 2022, I quit my job to hike from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. It was the most beautifully challenging experience of my life and definitely not my last. It was the most physically and mentally challenging thing I’ve ever done – filled with laughter, tears, difficult climbs, alpine swims, hiker hunger, sleeping under the stars, and so many beautiful moments. I didn’t think I could fall in love with backpacking any more, but I had.
I hope you can find as much inspiration and comfort in the backcountry as I do. There’s so much of the world still to explore, so join me for the adventure…