The Prelude

Though the bulk of the endeavor rests on my shoulders and under my feet, I cannot deny that I could have begun it alone. My journey has been made possible just as much by the efforts of others as of my own. I thank Brett Durham, the staff of the Squam Lakes Association, my brothers and sisters Ryan, Paul and Marika for helping build my "muscles;" Sara Hazlett for sharing her cultured trail wisdom; D Acres of New Hampshire for the ideology and pirate jubilee it passed on; Brown University for granting me a deferral; Gwynn Valley camp, especially Anne, Grant, Ryan, Frank, Cate, and Andy for planting seeds in my mind; Julie Langford for her advice on nutrition; Virginia Creeper and Doc for their kind endowments of wisdom and gear; Jim and Christina Bright for careful guidance and awesome eggplant Provencale; Eugenie for allowing me a vacation from trail anxiety; Gene Holder for imparting skills, labor, and morning commute pedagogy; The staff and management at Finnigan's Wake for helping me with the financial side of things; and of course, my family: Grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles and siblings for tolerating all of my anxious hiking preparations, bizarre cooking, and all the gifts and love they have given.