Welcome to my blog!

Hello and welcome to Rucksack to Backpack! This is a blog about my travels and life in general. After high school, I joined the US Army and learned a great deal about myself and the world around me. It was during my time in the Army that I learned to ruck march (usually loaded out with 60+ lbs.), but it wasn't until my deployment to Afghanistan that a buddy from California began to tell me about true backpacking. 

Afghanistan 2012

I listened to him tell me all about backpacking in the mountains of western Cali and I immediately knew it was something I wanted to do. I found a Backpacker magazine lying around at one of the bases I was at during my deployment and carried it with me for the rest of my time there, reading and re-reading the articles, staring at the lightweight gear, dreaming of planning my own backpacking trip. Fast forward to present day. I've been backpacking since the moment I got back to the states! 

The reason I named my blog Rucksack to Backpack was really for two reasons. First, I've transitioned from carrying a HEAVY rucksack to carrying an ultralight backpack (10 lbs. base weight). The second reason is to resemble a mental unloading that I've gone through since exiting the military. It has been necessary for me to rediscover myself since I got back from Afghanistan and got out of the Army. It was a great experience and one I wouldn't trade for the world, but my experiences have also been life changing. I continue to learn who I am every day and that is a big reason why I created Rucksack to Backpack. It is a great outlet to connect with others and bring people along for the journey!

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I currently live in Wisconsin with my wife (Rachel) and my cat (Tipper). I attend college and I'm currently on track to graduate with a bachelor's in geography and a minor in biology. This summer I will be thru-hiking the Ice Age National Scenic Trail thanks to an amazing sponsorship through Warrior Expeditions, a non-profit organization that sponsors combat veterans who dream of accomplishing amazing thru-hikes, long paddle trips, and other expeditions. I feel truly blessed to be part of something so special and I look forward to my hike this summer! I hope you enjoy coming along for this journey and many more to come!