Lessons from the Trail: Parenting, National Parks, and Adventure with Jeff Alt 505

“Even if you don’t have the resources or time for a six-month trek, start where you are, with what you have. Every step outside is a step toward a life more fulfilled.”

 

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How stuffing food into trash bags and hiking in tennis shoes planted the seed for a life of adventure.

What Happened:
Growing up, my family loved our little camping trips, and on one of them, my brothers and I convinced our parents to let us hike part of the Appalachian Trail overnight. (Big mistake — at least for our muscles.)
We were wildly unprepared: sneakers from Kmart, trash bags over our shoulders instead of proper packs, and enough sore muscles to last a lifetime. I thought I was dying — but deep down, something lit up inside me.
Even though every bone in my body hurt (and we ate an entire cooler of food afterward like ravenous raccoons), that night planted a seed.
Over the years, I kept going back. Again and again. And that love for adventure grew into a walk across the entire Appalachian Trail… and eventually into fundraising hikes, family treks, bestselling books, and even TEDx talks.
Not bad for a kid with a trash bag and a dream, right?

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Principle:
Sometimes, the thing that feels the hardest at the beginning — the thing you think you're the worst at — is actually pointing straight at your biggest passion.
Adventure (and success) doesn’t start with the perfect gear, the perfect timing, or even knowing what you’re doing.
It starts by taking that messy, imperfect first step.
And when you lean into it — not run away because it’s hard — it can completely change your life.

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Transition:
Most people think they have to have it all figured out before they start — the perfect trail shoes, the best plan, the ideal conditions.
But waiting until you're "ready" is just another way of letting your dreams collect dust.
If you've been feeling stuck, thinking you