Let me introduce myself again… – The Trek

It has been more than two years since my “Intro Blog” and a batch has changed! I decided it was time to reintroduce myself.

I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2024 from April 10 to October 13. I’m hiking the Pacific Crest Trail starting in May 2026!

Some fun facts about me:

1.) I’m a musician!

Me in the Indiana State University marching band.

I play 7 instruments, my favorite is my voice. If I had to choose a favorite “real” instrument, I would say the alto saxophone. Music is, oddly enough, one of the main reasons I hiked the Appalachian Trail. Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland put the idea in my head, and I never let go!

2.) I am a 24 year old grandmother (almost 25!).

I love drinking a hot cup of tea, reading memoirs, and crocheting sweaters and hats. In fact, my current sweater project is on my lap as I write this!

3.) I may look like a grandma, but I’m cool.

I ran the Oaks City Marathon in 2025!

My hobbies have a great variety. Read more: hgtgdfgdtr10. While I love crafting and completing the daily Wordle, I also love longboarding, rock climbing, yoga, running, and (obviously) hiking! So at least I’m a cool grandma. I even have a stack of books and a coffee mug tattooed… grandma cool and very chic.

4.) My partner and I met the day we started the AT

About as cliché as it gets here, I know. Our story started as a cheesy Springer Mountain meet-cute. We met right before our first camp and walked as friends for a while before realizing we liked each other. We made it official right after Trail Days and ended up hiking the entire trail together. Unfortunately we were from different parts of the country. Fortunately, It only took me a couple of months after the trial to pack up my things and move to North Carolina to live with him. I am so happy and lucky to have a partner in life who is also my favorite hiking buddy!

5.) The PCT will be my second backpacking trip.

The Appalachian Trail was my first backpacking trip and the Pacific Crest Trail is my second. This girl is a one-trick pony when it comes to backpacking, and apparently I can only walk!

6.) I have two (three?) jobs.

My main job is babysitting. I am a babysitter for a little girl and have been with her since she was a baby. She is the best and honestly the best job I have ever had. I am very grateful for the bond I have created with her during the almost year and a half that I saw her before I left. It will be difficult to say goodbye!

Triangle Rock Club – Salvage Yard… the best gym to work out!

My other job is working at a local climbing gym. It’s a great gym and a great place to work. I will also be discouraged to have to leave there. My latest “job” is driving for Uber Eats! I consider it less of a job and more of a way to save money for the road. Any purchase I make I only make after asking myself, «Would I rather spend this money here or on the West Coast in a few months?» If the answer is on the west coast, I put that money in my savings account. Cha-ching, honey.

7.) Why starlight?

Don’t hate me, I went against tradition with this one! While I didn’t give myself my name, a close friend did give me this name. before my walk I know, I know, but listen to me. We were chatting about how silly some trail names can be and how I was hoping to get a nice one. I was worried I’d end up with a silly name I didn’t care for and be too much of a coward to turn it down and hurt someone’s feelings.

Your thoughts? Start with one! Who cares, do your own hike, right? She thought it must have something to do with stars, because I have a star tattoo, I lived on a street at the time with the word «star» on it, and I was a little obsessed with stargazing. His only concern was naming me something that sounded too much like a stripper’s name…haha!!

I loved having a signature-signature! I always sign my route name with a little star on the S.

So at this moment, Starlight was born. Not only does it fit me because I love stars… but along the way I learned that Starlight is a superhero on a TV show (The Boys), and apparently she and I share several characteristics. I watched some of the show after the tour and I’m glad I have things in common with her and not the other characters… IYKYK. Although I was given my name before my hike, it took on a deeper meaning as we walked, and that part is really important to me.

8.) Why blog?

I finally started journaling last year and have consistently written at least a page a day since. On my first hike, I didn’t spend time writing every day to prepare for the trail and the blog, so I was a pretty infrequent blogger.

This time, my goal is to be a top contributor! I hope to write daily once I hit the road in May. I have a later start date than most, but I promise to start posting soon after I start, and I promise myself that I will post regularly!

My parents instilled in me a love of nature from a very young age and, seriously, how cute!

I decided to blog again this year because I want to share the stories of life on the trails with my family, friends, coworkers, and even strangers. I want people to understand why I love living in the woods for half a year, or if they already understand, to live vicariously through me. I couldn’t do this hike without the amazing support system I have. Without my mom, my dad, my grandparents, my mom’s best friend, my partner, his parents, and so many other friends and family, I would not have made it to the end of the Appalachian Trail and I certainly wouldn’t be planning a second hike today.

I recently deleted all of my social media apps, which is another reason why I wanted to blog again this year. I’ll be re-downloading them in May to post occasional updates, but this blog will be the hub for all things Starlight on the PCT. I will continue to post on Instagram and Facebook, but if you want to see the latest and greatest trail updates, subscribe to my blog to receive email notifications when I post!

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