About Kyle Widner? by Kyle Widner.

When my younger brother Michael was checking into yet another hospital during the dark days he was fighting a brain tumor, the blob-shaped, detached bureaucrat robotically queried as to his occupation. Bemused, Mike responded “Part Time Rock and Roll Love God”. The woman began typing his answer in to the computer, drone like, then paused. Puzzled, she peered over her glasses and said “It won’t fit”. Without missing a beat, Mike updated his answer to “Jesus’ body double”. She typed it and printed his paperwork with stoic detachment.

When I’m asked “what do you do”, I’m usually tempted to say “As little as possible.” People usually don’t find it as funny as I do. But alas, let us break it down.

I’ve written a book, so I’m an Author. (Shameless plug: Buy it on Amazon) I’ve spent days in Anasazi ruins filled Utah canyons, and done about half the PCT, so I’m a Backpacker. The US Air Force had a lapse of judgement and made me a Captain, so there’s Veteran. The Milwaukee Brewers decided to use their uber-valuable 24th round draft pick on me whilst in High School, so there is Baseball Player. Thunderbird, the American Graduate School of International Management (may it rest in peace), bestowed a graduate degree upon me, so there is MBA. Have built and sold two internet based companies, so the Entrepreneur label can be applied like a “Hopi Power” bumper sticker. Now, I’d like to add Thru-Hiker to the list.

Why a thru-hike? Hell I don’t know. Because I want to? I think? I’ll be 59, sleeping on the ground for five months dodging rattlesnakes, mini-grizzlies (mice that chew through everything), swarms of mosquitos, rain, wind, snow, ice and creek crossings, chaffing in unmentionable places, questionable water sources, blisters, contusions, scrapes and itches, sore everything, home-sickness, a bland, repetitive diet.

I’ve already done about half the trail, so why not just pick up where I left off and finish? Those would be the words and thoughts of a sound, rational human.  We’ll just let that thought hang like a Florida chad in the background. A thru-hiker completes the entire trail in one hiking “season”, loosely defined in the case of the PCT as March – October. Those to make it from Mexico to Canada in one season are Thru-Hikers. Peeps who do it over the course of 2 or more years are known and Section Hikers, not that there is anything wrong with that. We’ll see. Lots of months of training ahead to even get to the Southern Terminus.

Current and prior residencies include California, Japan, Washington, Alaska, Iowa, Arizona, Mexico, Nevada, and soon, an 18-inch wide ribbon of dirt snaking up the Western USA from Mexico to Canada.