My motivation to keep hiking was rooted in the magnificent details of the Appalachian Mountains, and the more I poured myself out - the more energy I gave the trail - the more it gave me in return.

Food is like a torture device because hiking 47 miles a day is hard enough. And then you're trying to get down 6,000 calories a day. Every hour, I needed a snack, every few hours I had to take in a meal and it's just not food, it's fuel. You're not enjoying it - you're seriously shoving it in your mouth and following it with water, juice or Gatorade.

Our bodies are made to move, and moving down the trail is one of the oldest, natural ways people have used their bodies.

One thing I think I've always felt about being in nature is that it's a very natural taste.

I know that I was hiking at a very young age because I remember being convinced that it was the trees that were talking.

Going into the woods, you can go as fast or as slow as you want. It's restorative. Even when I was young, the wilderness offered not only adventure but also therapy and peace: a place to be alone with your thoughts.

I would rather watch a sunset than TV.