My name is Jonathan Reeves. I was born in 1976 and grew up in rural northeast Alabama in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. My father was an avid whitewater kayaker and my first introduction to long distance hiking was inadvertantly because of him. When I was twelve yeaws old I was left to wait at the take-out of the Nantahala River in North Carolina for a few hours while he and his friends paddled. When talking about what I could do while I waited, one of his friends jokingly remarked that there was a trail I could hike all the way to Maine. I couldn't believe there was such a thing: a forested trail from Georgia to Maine. The idea was more fantasy than reality until twelve more years had passed. In March of 2000 I was living in New Orleans and my lease was scheduled to run out at the end of the month. I was tired of my job and not looking forward to the steamy summer. Basically on a whim, I decided to hike the Appalachian Trail from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Maine. The only research I did involved looking at a road map to figure out where to start. The only time I'd spent backpacking previously was when I had walked along some railroad tracks for a few days during the previous summer. Six months and many life-altering experiences later I reached the northern terminus of the trail, Mt. Katahdin. I have been obsessively hiking, backpacking and researching ever since.
Next year (or maybe later this year) I want to start a thru-hike to bring about awareness to the importance of burning less fossil fuels. I will be an advocate for "Leave No Trace" ethics in everyday life. I want to educate the public (especially those living in impoverished urban areas) on the subject of growing your own healthy organic produce. I also want to spur interest on the topic of sustainable housing. Everyone with whom I come in contact will be encouraged to drive less and walk or bike more. please check out my website www.organic-backpacking.com
Chloe and I say, "Happy New Year, Brother-in-law!!"
