I'm new here, so I suppose I should introduce myself. I am known to most as Patrice, and by some as Storm. Patrice was my name given at birth, and Storm was my name given by friends when I thru hiked the Appalachian Trail. Tradition of long-distance hiking is to adopt a "trail" name. I answer to several variations of both, depending on which role I am in. I've been home from the trail for over 2 years now, and still struggle with using the correct name at the appropriate time. I'll occasionally stumble when I introduce myself; Storm tries to sneakily work its way out in the wrong situation, and I find myself signing emails, having to hit the delete key and retype my real name. Ok, now you know who I am.

Next, I should introduce my bike. I like to call her The Storminator, after, well, my trail name. As I understand, people on long-distance bike trips do not have trail names, or road names (or do they?), and I'll need to keep an important part of my trail life with me on the next big adventure. Of course, that life is always with me, and those memories are still fresh in my mind; there hasn't be a day that's passed that I haven't thought of the AT. I love being called Storm, and if I don't get to introduce myself as that on the road, well, at least my bike can.

Onward. After a few friends hiked the AT in '06, I decided that it sounded like an awesome adventure, and that I'd do it when the time was right. And poof, just like that, I did, 3 years later. Two months after my AT hike, my trail friend, Ducky, told me about her previous cross-country bike ride. I thought to myself, "Well, that sounds just awesome, I need to do that!" So, that's next on my bucket list. 

Until I can make that happen (and I'm hoping to do it summer '12), I'll continue to live through small-time adventure as I work my way back through school and into a new career. By the way, quitting my previous career in the corporate world was the best thing I have ever done. Just have a bad day and and make a crazy decision (like, walk 2,000 miles!), and your life will go from stale to incredible. Easy as pie. 

Ok, time to hop on the bike and stretch my legs out a wee bit on this beautifully sunny day. The fall colors are winding down, so I need to enjoy what's left of it.