Mississippi Roots & Appalachian Boots Paperback – March 17, 2026

The world is not in our devices or our feeds. It’s out there.For five years, my wife Kaci and I dreamed of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. We took that dream and turned it into a meticulous plan. We were finally ready to launch—and then COVID hit.Our timeline was shot down, and our lives were thrown into disarray for an entire year. But instead of letting the dream die, we regrouped, made a pivot, and set out to attempt our thru-hike with the odds stacked against us.This book is the story of us closing the loop. It is a grounded look at two people coming together to complete a massive goal. Out in the woods, we learned a little bit about ourselves, but more importantly, we learned a tremendous amount about how the other person operates and how they perceive the world.But we didn't make it to the end by ourselves. Not only did we lean on each other to keep moving forward, but we also had the vital help of our friends, our family, and selfless Trail Angels. Experiencing that kind of overwhelming support, we truly learned why the Appalachian Trail is known as "the people's trail."Along the way, the journey taught us three undeniable truths:You can do hard things, but they will not be easy or comfortable.We are way more connected to the Earth and the world around us than we truly understand.There are far more good people than bad on this Earth. We met countless strangers who didn't know us at all, yet were willing to help and pour into our lives just to see us complete something bigger than themselves.This is the story of our 2,193.1-mile journey. It is a reminder that if you are willing to adapt when your plans fall apart, you can still reach the finish line. Read more