It all started in 2002 with a confusing relationship and a Nicholas Sparks movie. Before I knew it, I was off to The Outer Banks of North Carolina and Mt Mitchell for my first ever camping trip and who doesn’t like a good highpoint. Since that first trip I’ve camped almost every summer in The White Mountains of New Hampshire, never really exploring outside of The New England area until now.
I’m not a “Hiker” or a “Peak Bagger” or even a “High Pointer” but, I do love the idea of all of those things. What I am is……. a Camper and a lover of The Great Outdoors so, I’ve decided to make a solo attempt at camping in all 50 states by the end of my 50th birthday (before I turn 51 years old). Follow along as I make my solo bid to camp in all 50 states. Goal date for all 50 is April 2016 in Alaska.
April 2016 update:
Now that Camp50 is complete, it’s time to tell the rest of the story regarding why I started this camping endeavor. In 2011, I was finally starting to learn who I was, I was trying to put things from my childhood in the past where they belonged and shake off a multi year nonproductive relationship. I didn’t want to carry that craziness around with me any longer. Then through my love of the mountains and support of Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire, I met some new friends who also loved & supported the Observatory. One particular friendship grew into something that meant so much to me and I thought he felt the same way. My friendship with (let’s just call him Blue). This was not a romantic relationship, it was a friendship that in a very short time developed into one of my closest friendships. We were able to share some very important life events with each other and I believe help each other through those events just by the simple act of being there for each other. Someone to listen and give perspective, his friendship was a safe place for me, something I had never experienced before, probable because it wasn’t romantic. I felt safe, I could finally be myself with someone without holding back or hiding the real me.
A few weeks after my surgery in 2012, I lost Blue’s friendship to what I’ll call a misunderstanding. He decided to end our friendship in email, he wouldn’t return any of my attempts to talk, which as you can imagine adds a level of doubt to what I thought was real and doesn’t provide any real closure.
I was already struggling with my past and now add in losing Blue’s friendship, well that created a lot of anger, doubt, hurt, and a whole host of other negative feelings. I didn’t know how to move past those feelings and now my friend wasn’t around to talk to about these things. I was angry and I was stuck, those feelings reflected in my work life and in my day to day life, I didn’t know which way to turn so after a year of trying to find my way out, I came up with the idea of #Camp50 a #HealingJourney. I researched everything, planned everything, turned this adventure into a huge project plan, mapping out how to complete all 50 states within the timeline I set for myself. I set out to find myself and heal my heart. I NEEDED to do this solo or I’d never know the real me, just some version of me with someone by my side or along for the ride.
Today, Camp50 is completed, I don’t feel all that negativity from the past, I no longer feel stuck, I feel free. I am so happy I decided to do Camp50. The healing, the experiences of this journey has forever changed me.