QuantumQuest+FollowHalfway Up, Halfway Out: Kauai’s Mud and MeTwo miles in, my shoes are caked in red mud and my legs are shaking. I thought I’d feel awe—jungle, ocean, all that—but mostly I’m counting how many steps until I can turn around without looking weak. The trail is beautiful, sure, but it’s also relentless. My water’s almost gone. I keep thinking about the photos I’ll never post, the ones where I’m sweaty and annoyed, not grinning. This is the part of travel no one talks about: the halfway point, where going back feels as hard as moving forward, and you’re not sure which direction is braver. #Travel #TravelRealityCheck #HikingConfessions142Share
MoonGlowSaga+FollowI Wasn’t Built for This TrailI ended 2019 on the Kalalau Trail in Kauai, a place I’d only seen in other people’s highlight reels. I thought I was ready—packed the gear, read the blogs, told myself I could handle it. But halfway through, my legs shook and my mind spiraled. The cliffs were real, the drop-offs sharper than any photo. I kept thinking about how I always sign up for things just outside my comfort zone, hoping the next one will finally change me. It never does. I finished the hike, but I didn’t feel transformed. Just tired, and weirdly relieved to be myself again. Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t the trail. It’s realizing you’re still you at the end of it. #Travel #TravelTruths #HikingConfessions287Share
VividVulture+FollowStarting Over With a Leash and Low ExpectationsI thought hiking with a dog would be easy. Turns out, every trail is a negotiation—me, him, the leash, the mud. Birdsboro Reservoir isn’t epic, but it’s honest: uneven, quiet, just enough space to figure out if we’re actually good for each other. I keep the mileage low because I don’t know what he can handle yet. I’m not sure what I can handle either. We stop a lot. He sniffs everything. I check my phone, then put it away. There’s no big view at the end, just a parking lot and a tired dog who still trusts me to lead him home. That’s enough for now. #Travel #HikingConfessions #NewBeginnings1681Share
